Hamas ready to release 34 Israeli hostages in exchange deal, officials say
Hamas is ready to release 34 Israeli hostages in the ‘first phase’ of an exchange deal, a senior official has said.
The Palestinian militant group was last night reportedly in favour of securing the agreement more than a year after it killed nearly 1,200 Israeli citizens and seized 251 as hostages.
The official told the AFP news agency: “Hamas has agreed to release 34 Israeli prisoners from a list presented by Israel as part of the first phase of a prisoner exchange deal.”
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The official, requesting anonymity, said the 34 hostages would include all the women, children, elderly people and sick captives still held in Gaza. But he said Hamas needs time to confirm if they were still alive.
Out of those seized, 96 hostages remain in Gaza.
The latest development comes after Hamas released a video of Israeli captive Liri Albag, 19, over the weekend. She breaks down as she tells how some held with her have been “badly wounded” and said she has “looked death in the eye”.
Ms Albag made a direct plea to defence secretary Israel Katz to reach a deal. She then addresses her parents, Shira and Eli, and siblings, telling them: “I love you so much. I miss you infinitely.”
The hostage deal is said to depend on Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, along with a permanent ceasefire in the war.
