A senior official from Hamas recently disclosed to the BBC a roster of 34 hostages that the organization is prepared to release as part of an initial phase in potential ceasefire discussions with Israel.
The current status of those listed remains uncertain, particularly regarding their survival. The group includes 10 women and 11 elderly men, aged between 50 and 85, alongside young children whom Hamas had previously claimed were casualties of an Israeli airstrike. Additionally, several individuals on the list are reported to be suffering from health issues.
According to reports from Gaza’s health ministry, which operates under Hamas control, over 100 individuals lost their lives due to Israeli airstrikes during the past weekend.
In response, the office of Israel’s Prime Minister refuted claims that Hamas had submitted a hostage list directly to them. They stated that “the list circulated in media was not provided by Hamas but was initially shared by Israel with intermediaries back in July 2024.” Furthermore, they emphasized that no confirmation or feedback regarding the hostages’ conditions has been received from Hamas thus far.
Hamas’s move to publicize these names may be interpreted as a strategy aimed at intensifying pressure on the Israeli government. Negotiations for a ceasefire resumed over the weekend in Doha, Qatar; however, there appears to have been little advancement toward resolution.
A representative from Hamas informed Reuters that any agreement concerning Israeli hostages would hinge on an arrangement for Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and establishing a lasting ceasefire or cessation of hostilities. “Yet,” he remarked under anonymity conditions, “the occupation remains unyielding regarding agreements related to both ceasefire and withdrawal matters.”
Earlier communications included a video featuring Liri Albag—a 19-year-old Israeli captive—pleading with her government for negotiations. She was taken hostage along with six other female soldiers during an assault at Nahal Oz army base near Gaza on October 7th this year.
On that fateful day marked by violence initiated by militants affiliated with Hamas against southern Israel, approximately 1,200 people were killed while another 251 were abducted.
As per data released by Gaza’s health ministry controlled by Hamas as of Saturday evening, at least 45,805 fatalities have occurred within Gaza due to Israel’s military operations aimed at dismantling Hamas forces. Reports indicate that airstrikes resulted in additional casualties: specifically citing deaths—88 individuals on Saturday alone—and another reported count of seventeen fatalities across four separate attacks on Sunday according to Reuters sources within healthcare facilities.
The Israeli military announced its operations over the weekend involved targeting more than one hundred sites identified as “terrorist” locations throughout Gaza Strip territory resulting in numerous militant deaths attributed directly towards members associated with Hamas.
