12:26 PM ET, December 1, 2023
If Hamas releases a proper list of hostages, the fighting will stop, sources say
CNN’s Alex Marquardt, MJ. From Lee and Arlette Chance
As fighting resumes in the Israel-Hamas war, the two sides continue to negotiate through mediators over the release of hostages from Gaza. Another pause in hostilitiesThree sources familiar with the discussions said.
The Negotiating parties Israel and Hamas – in consultation with Qatar, the United States and Egypt – are still actively discussing the release of the remaining female hostages, a source said.
According to those sources, there is an understanding that a Hamas list of prisoners deemed accepted by Israel would bring back the ceasefire. The Prime Minister’s Office said on Friday that Israel believed that 20 women and two children under the age of 18 were still being held hostage out of a total of 137 hostages.
If the last remaining group of civilian women is successfully freed, the parameters of negotiations will quickly shift to another category of hostages: civilian men, as well as military reservists – both male and female. Sources said.
Some background: During the talks, which lasted until early Friday, Hamas failed to release a list of hostages that Israeli authorities could accept, past a ceasefire deadline, the sources said. In particular, one source said, there is a back-and-forth over claims by Hamas that the military – Israel – is rejecting some of the women they are holding captive.
Hamas has previously argued that women under the age of 45 should be treated as reservists and not civilians, according to a person familiar with the talks. According to the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, most of the women still held hostage are under the age of 45.
Hamas says it has no more women and children to free the rest in the hands of other groups. According to the previous agreement, Hamas was required to release 10 women and children as hostages for each day of the ceasefire. Three Palestinians were released from Israeli prisons For each hostage.
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