Hamas claimed that it was only holding three more Israeli women and children hostage and that Israel had rejected offers to extend the ceasefire to receive them on Friday morning.
Senior Hamas member Khalil al-Hayya told Al-Jazeera that Israel rejected several offers to extend the ceasefire by agreeing to additional exchanges of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Hayya claimed that Israel was "trying to be cunning and clever" by demanding that female soldiers be considered in the same deal as civilian women. He additionally claimed that Hamas offered to release elderly hostages in exchange for elderly Palestinian prisoners and that Israel had rejected these offers.
"The occupation’s rejection of all offers and proposals is a clear indication that it was preparing to resume crimes in Gaza."
On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Hamas had told Egyptian officials that they were facing difficulties accessing four women held hostage by other terrorist groups in Gaza.