On the 4th (local time), in Tel Aviv, Israel, the families of hostages held by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, participated in a protest calling for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. According to Reuters on the 5th (local time), an anonymous Hamas official stated that they have approved the list of 34 hostages presented by Israel. The official added that the success of the agreement depended on whether the Israeli military would withdraw from the Gaza Strip and agree to a permanent ceasefire.
AFP reported that if the ceasefire negotiations are concluded, Hamas would release 34 hostages as part of the first stage of exchanging hostages held by Hamas with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention facilities. The official mentioned that the 34 hostages include women, children, the elderly, and sick prisoners held in the Gaza Strip, but time is needed to determine if all of them are alive.
According to Israeli public broadcaster Kan, on the 31st of the previous month, Israel had requested Hamas to release 34 Israeli hostages at once in the first stage if a ceasefire was agreed upon. However, Hamas proposed to return 22 surviving hostages along with 12 bodies. Israel rejected the Hamas proposal at the time, making it clear that “survivors must be released in the initial stage of the ceasefire.”
Following the announcement from Hamas, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office issued a statement saying, “We have not yet received a list of hostages from Hamas,” maintaining a cautious stance.