Palestinian Territories Israel and Hamas were negotiating through mediators on Nov 29 over another potential extension of their truce, with hours left to reach a deal before fighting was due to restart after a six-day pause.
Israeli media, citing the Prime Minister's Office, reported that Israel received a list of hostages expected to be released by Hamas on Nov 29.
Hamas, in turn, published a list of 15 women and 15 teenagers to be released from Israeli jails. For the first time since the truce began, it included Palestinian citizens of Israel, as well as residents of occupied territories.
A Palestinian official told Reuters that despite a willingness on both sides to prolong the truce, no agreement had yet been reached.
Discussions were still under way with mediators Egypt and Qatar, he said.
Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy said Israel would consider any serious proposal, but he declined to provide more details.
"We are doing everything we can in order to get those hostages out.
Nothing is confirmed until it is confirmed," Mr Levy told reporters in Tel Aviv.
"We're talking about very sensitive negotiations in which human lives hang in the balance." Once the release of hostages ends, the fighting will resume, he added.
"This war will end with the end of Hamas," he said.
So far, Hamas has freed 60 Israeli women and children from among the 240 hostages its fighters seized in a deadly rampage on Oct 7 under the deal that secured the war's first truce.
A total of 21 foreigners, mainly Thai farm workers, were also freed under separate parallel deals.
In return, Israel has released 180 Palestinian security detainees, all women and teenagers.
The initial four-day truce was extended by 48 hours from Nov 28, and Israel has said it would be willing to prolong it further as long as Hamas frees 10 hostages a day.
Denne historien er fra November 30, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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Denne historien er fra November 30, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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