Negotiations mediated by Qatar are ongoing to secure the release of 10 to 15 hostages held by Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas in exchange for a 1-2 day humanitarian pause in Gaza, a source briefed on the negotiations said on Wednesday.
Qatar, where several political leaders of Hamas are based, has been leading mediation efforts between Hamas and Israeli officials over the release of hostages captured when the group rampaged into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people.
Since then, Israel has escalated its assault on Gaza where 10,569 people have now been killed, 40% of them children, according to Palestinian officials.
The negotiations are coordinated with the United States, the source told Reuters, adding that the pause should allow Hamas to gather details of all civilian hostages and secure the release of dozens more.
“The exact number is still unclear at this stage,” said the source, who declined to be named.
A separate Egyptian security source also said a 24-48-hour ceasefire or limitation of the main zone of operations was expected within the next week in return for a release of hostages.
The U.S. and other countries have stepped up pressure on Israel to get this done, the source said.
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday he had urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pause fighting for humanitarian reasons. G7 foreign ministers, meeting in Tokyo, called for a humanitarian pause in the fighting.
The United Nations says Gaza's health system is close to collapse, battered by air strikes, flooded with patients, and running out of medicines and fuel.
