Media: Hamas reveals list of 34 hostages in potential ceasefire deal with Israel

A senior Hamas official has shared with the BBC a list of 34 hostages, including 10 women and 11 elderly men, that the Palestinian group is willing to release as part of the first stage of a potential ceasefire agreement with Israel.

The list also includes young children who had previously been claimed dead by Hamas following an Israeli air strike, Caliber.Az reports, citing BBC.

The hostages include individuals aged between 50 and 85, and some are reported to be in poor health. However, it remains unclear how many of the hostages are still alive.

The news comes after Israeli air strikes reportedly killed over 100 people in Gaza over the weekend. The Israeli prime minister's office has denied claims that Hamas provided Israel with a list of hostages.

Ceasefire talks resumed in Doha, Qatar, but have yet to make significant progress. A Hamas official told Reuters that any agreement to release Israeli hostages would depend on Israel agreeing to withdraw from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire.

The official added that Israel’s refusal to compromise on these terms has stalled the negotiations. "Until now, the occupation continues to be obstinate over an agreement over the issues of the ceasefire and withdrawal, and has made no step forward," the official said, speaking anonymously.

Hamas also released a video of 19-year-old Israeli captive Liri Albag, urging her government to reach a deal. Albag was captured on October 7, 2023, along with six other female conscript soldiers during Hamas's attack on southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 others taken hostage.

Meanwhile, as of the weekend, Israel's military campaign in Gaza has claimed the lives of at least 45,805 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. On January 4 alone, 88 people were reported killed in Israeli air strikes, with a further 17 fatalities reported on January 5 after four separate Israeli attacks. The Israeli military said it had targeted over 100 "terrorist" sites across Gaza, killing dozens of Hamas militants.

By Aghakazim Guliyev