Israel has reduced the number of hostages it demands to be released in the first phase of a hostage deal with Hamas to 33, according to a Monday Kan News report.
According to a New York Times exclusive, Israel initially sought to release 40 hostages, including women, children, the seriously ill, and female soldiers. However, a revision occurred partly due to Israel's belief, as indicated by one official, that some of the 40 captives may have died while in captivity.
The shift has sparked hopes that Hamas and Israel may be moving towards finalizing their first truce since a weeklong ceasefire in November, during which Hamas released 105 captives in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Senior Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq mentioned on social media on Monday that Hamas was reviewing a new Israeli proposal, although he did not disclose its details.
Ceasefire proposal talks ongoing
During his visit to Riyadh, British Foreign Minister David Cameron discussed negotiations regarding a ceasefire deal and the release of hostages. He mentioned a proposal for a 40-day ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of the hostages.
The British foreign minister also noted that the Israeli offer could include the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners.
Cameron additionally emphasized support for a two-state solution with security assurances for Israel and noted that the conflict persists until all abductees are freed. He also highlighted that the departure of Hamas leaders from Gaza could pave the way for a political solution.
This follows US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Saudi Arabia on Monday morning. During his visit, he urged Hamas to accept the latest proposal for a Gaza truce, which he described as "extraordinarily generous." Blinken noted "measurable progress" in Gaza's humanitarian situation in recent weeks but called on Israel to increase its efforts.
Kan News, citing the Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq, reported on Monday that Hamas is anticipated to respond positively to the Israeli proposal, resulting in a ceasefire that will purportedly be implemented this weekend.
This is a developing story.