Israel and Hamas officials are in talks in Qatar to secure a ceasefire deal.
Hamas has stated its readiness to release 34 captives as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel, as reported by Reuters and AFP news agencies, citing a Palestinian official.
The Gaza Strip governing Palestinian group has approved the release of captives in the first phase of a prisoner exchange deal, with the initial swap including women, children, elderly, and sick captives held in Gaza.
According to an unnamed Hamas official cited by Reuters, a ceasefire deal is contingent upon Israel agreeing to a permanent ceasefire and withdrawing from Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office noted that Hamas has not provided a list of captives for potential release.
Negotiations for a ceasefire agreement are ongoing in Qatar, mediated by the US President Joe Biden’s administration in a bid to reach a breakthrough before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on January 20.
Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem reported from Doha that there remain significant differences between the sides that need to be bridged politically.
Hashem also highlighted Trump’s warnings regarding the consequences of not reaching a deal, particularly directed towards Hamas.
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continued, with the military claiming to have targeted over 100 “terror targets” over the weekend, resulting in the death of more than 100 Palestinians, as reported by Gaza health officials.
Since Israel’s response to Hamas’s attacks in October 7, 2023, more than 45,800 Palestinians have been killed.
