A senior official from Hamas has shared a list of 34 hostages they claim to be willing to release as part of a potential ceasefire agreement with Israel. The hostages reportedly include 10 women, 11 elderly men aged 50 to 85, and children previously claimed to have been killed in an Israeli airstrike. Hamas stated that several hostages are also in poor health.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s office has denied receiving the list directly from Hamas, suggesting it originated from intermediaries earlier in July 2024. It noted no confirmation from Hamas regarding the status of the individuals mentioned. Hamas’s public release of the names is seen as an effort to increase domestic pressure on the Israeli government.

Ceasefire negotiations resumed in Doha over the weekend, but progress remains limited. A Hamas representative indicated that the group’s readiness to release hostages hinges on an agreement that includes Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire. The representative, speaking anonymously, emphasized Israel’s resistance to these terms as a significant roadblock.

Hamas released a video of Liri Albag, a 19-year-old Israeli conscript, urging her government to reach an agreement. She was reportedly captured during Hamas’s attack on the Nahal Oz army base near Gaza on October 7, 2023, alongside six other female soldiers.

The October 2023 attack by Hamas-led militants resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel, with 251 others taken hostage. Israel’s subsequent military campaign has been aimed at dismantling Hamas. According to Gaza’s health ministry, over 45,800 people have died in Gaza as of the past weekend, with Israeli airstrikes reportedly killing 88 people on Saturday and 17 more on Sunday.

Israel’s military confirmed targeting over 100 locations in Gaza over the weekend, claiming to have neutralized dozens of Hamas fighters. Despite the escalation, the broader terms of a ceasefire and any resolution to the hostage situation remain unresolved, with both sides holding firm on their demands.

As negotiations continue, the humanitarian toll and the urgency to secure the release of hostages remain central concerns.