Hamas has expressed difficulties in locating and identifying 40 Israeli hostages required for the initial phase of a ceasefire agreement, as reported by an Israeli official and a source familiar with the negotiations. This development has raised concerns that there may be more casualties among the hostages than publicly acknowledged.
According to the negotiation framework, Hamas is expected to release 40 hostages during a six-week ceasefire period, with a focus on women, sick, and elderly men. In return, Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from its jails.
However, Hamas has informed international mediators, including Qatar and Egypt, that they do not have 40 living hostages meeting the specified criteria for release. CNN's information on the hostages also aligns with this claim, indicating that there are fewer than 40 hostages meeting the outlined conditions.
The lack of clarity from Hamas regarding the identities of the hostages to be released has emerged as a significant hurdle in the negotiations. In response to Hamas's shortfall in meeting the criteria, Israel has urged the inclusion of younger male hostages, potentially including soldiers, in the initial release.
Throughout the negotiation process, Israel has repeatedly requested a list of hostages and their status from Hamas. Hamas, on the other hand, has cited the need for a cessation of hostilities to facilitate the process of locating and gathering the hostages, echoing a similar argument made during previous ceasefire attempts.
Most of the nearly 100 remaining hostages are believed to be male IDF soldiers or men of military reserve age. It is anticipated that Hamas may leverage these hostages in subsequent phases of negotiations to secure more substantial concessions, such as the release of high-profile prisoners and a lasting resolution to the conflict.
