Hamas fails to find 40 for the agreement – ​​

Hamas said it was currently unable to identify and track the 40 Israeli hostages needed for the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. This was reported by CNN, citing two sources, one of which is Israeli, who raise fears that the number of dead hostages is higher than that known so far. According to the negotiators’ proposal in the first six weeks of the truce, Hamas should release 40 hostages, including women, elderly and sick men, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees. But according to American TV sources, Palestinian terrorists have told international mediators, Qatar and Egypt, that they do not have 40 hostages alive who meet these criteria.

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According to one of the broadcaster’s two sources, Hamas’ inability, or unwillingness, to tell Israel which hostages would be released alive is the main obstacle to the implementation of the agreement. With Hamas apparently unable to track down 40 hostages who fit the established categories, the Israelis are pushing for younger male hostages, including soldiers, to be released in the first phase, the Israeli source said.

During these months of negotiations since the last ceasefire, Israel has repeatedly asked for a list of hostages and information on their conditions. Hamas for its part has argued that it needs a halt to the fighting to be able to track down and reunite the hostages, the same argument it used in November when the first week-long truce took effect. The majority of the nearly 100 hostages believed to be still alive are believed to be IDF soldiers or young men. Hamas intends to attempt to use this group at a later stage of the negotiations to try to negotiate more concessions, including the release of key Palestinian prisoners and a complete cessation of the war in Gaza.