The Palestinian movement Hamas has agreed to release 34 hostages from a list provided by the Israeli side as part of the first stage of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. This was reported by Asharq TV, citing a source within the organization.
According to the source, the list submitted by Israel and approved by Hamas meets the criteria agreed upon during the latest round of negotiations. It includes women, children, and sick individuals held in Gaza. "Hamas has agreed to release these hostages, but the group will need about a week to verify whether they are still alive," the source said.
On January 5, Reuters reported, citing a Hamas representative, that the group had finalized a list of 34 hostages it is prepared to release under the agreement. However, Dmitry Handelman, an advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, told TASS that Israel had not received such a list during the negotiations.
In late November 2023, Egypt and Qatar brokered a week-long humanitarian truce in Gaza. During this period, Israeli authorities reported the release of 110 hostages. However, on December 1, the ceasefire was broken, and fighting in the Palestinian enclave resumed. Despite multiple rounds of consultations throughout 2024, involving Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, the parties failed to agree on the terms of a deal.
On January 2, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that an Israeli delegation would soon travel to Qatar to resume talks on the release of hostages held by Hamas. The latest round of dialogue, which included Israeli representatives, took place in Doha in late 2024. The delegation returned to Israel on December 24.
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Based on TASS materials