Negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza and hostage release are progressing, with Hamas submitting a list of hostages to mediators in Cairo, Qatari newspaper The News Arab reported on Monday.
The paper cited advanced talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the U.S., including exchanges of names for a potential deal.
Egyptian intelligence reportedly received names of hostages with medical conditions and elderly captives, as well as Palestinian prisoners to be freed from Israeli jails.
An Israeli delegation was expected to arrive in Cairo on Monday to finalize aspects of the agreement. The report also claimed that four hostages with U.S. citizenship, not meeting the humanitarian conditions of the first phase, would be included.
The Americans among the 100 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza include Edan Alexander, Keith Siegel, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Judi Weinstein Haggai and her husband Gadi Haggai, with some reported to be deceased.
Israeli American hostage Edan Alexander features in a Hamas propaganda video
Hamas confirmed its delegation left Cairo after talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Hassan Rashad. The terrorist group reportedly asked other Palestinian factions, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, to compile "files" on the hostages they hold, including medical conditions and locations. However, a Hamas official warned that continued Israeli military operations complicate efforts to locate and secure hostages.
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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after meeting families of hostages, indicated that the fall of the Assad regime in Syria might help facilitate a deal. Family members reported Netanyahu’s acknowledgment that a cease-fire would be necessary to secure the hostages' release and emphasized the need for urgent action.
Meanwhile, families of hostages received a statement from Israeli authorities dismissing the reports circulating in Arabic media as inaccurate. The message, issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, urged families to rely on official channels for updates.
"These publications, also reported in Israel, are not accurate," the statement read. "We continue working tirelessly through various channels to secure the hostages' return while maintaining strict information security on this matter." Families were encouraged to direct inquiries to the official hostage coordination team.