Hamas reveals demands for prisoner exchange with Israel

A Hamas official has demanded 6,000 Palestinian men and women detained in Israel's jails be released in exchange for hostages in Gaza.

The Israeli military said on October 16 that 199 captives were being held in the besieged territory - a higher figure than previously estimated, reports Sky News.

Khaled Meshaal, head of Hamas' diaspora office, said the hostages include high-ranking officers from the Israeli Defence Forces' Gaza Division, which is responsible for patrolling around the Gaza Strip.

It comes as another Hamas official told Sky News he "does not know" how many hostages are still alive.

Dr Basem Naim, Hamas's head of political and international relations, told Sky News: "I have no idea because it is impossible under this heavy bombardment - the communications are totally cut."

He also said the ruling Palestinian militant group in Gaza was ready to release civilian hostages when "aggression against our people is stopped".

"At the time the aggression stops, we are ready to release the civilian hostages," he said.

"I hope that we will have hostages alive at the time the aggression ends because al Qassam Brigade [Hamas's armed wing] announced yesterday that nine of the hostages were killed under Israeli bombardment.

"And three days ago 13 others were killed - including four foreigners."

Meanwhile, Sky News has been told that Israel has carried out a strike near the Rafah border crossing from Gaza into Egypt.

Negotiations to open the crossing to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip - and foreign nationals out - appear to have stalled.

The crossing had been expected to open at 9am local time on October 16.

However, a United Nations spokesperson said there had been no progress on a full opening of the border.

Egypt has accused Israel of not cooperating with the delivery of aid into Gaza via the Rafah crossing, leaving hundreds of tonnes of supplies stuck in the nearby city of Al Arish.

Cairo said on October 16 that the border was not officially closed, but instead had been made inoperable due to Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza side.