Gaza: Foreign news agency has claimed that Hamas has agreed to release 34 hostages as part of a possible ceasefire deal.
Hamas has said, it is ready to release 34 captives as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel, the Reuters and AFP news agencies have reported, citing an official with the Palestinian group.
The Palestinian group, which governs the Gaza Strip, has approved the release of the captives “as part of the first phase of a prisoner exchange deal”, the AFP reported on Sunday, citing an unnamed Hamas official.
The initial swap would include all women, children, elderly people and sick captives being held in Gaza, the AFP reported the official as saying.
But Hamas needed time to determine their condition, he said. “Hamas has agreed to release the 34 prisoners, whether alive or dead. However, the group needs a week of calm to communicate with the captors and identify those who are alive and those who are dead,” the official said.
Reuters cited an unnamed Hamas official as saying a ceasefire deal would depend on Israel agreeing to a permanent ceasefire and its withdrawal from Gaza.
Conversely, Hamas has reportedly agreed to an Israeli list of 34 hostages for exchange in a potential ceasefire deal. However, the Israeli government denies receiving such a list. The release of hostages is said to depend on an Israeli-Gaza withdrawal and a permanent ceasefire. Meanwhile, negotiations regarding Palestinian prisoners continue.
The Prime Minister’s Office has cast doubt on the claims. At the same time, the family of hostage Liri Albag urged Netanyahu to take action for a ceasefire. As of December 5, 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with at least 36 believed to be dead. Ambassador Jonathan Miller criticised Hamas for endangering medical staff and patients.
