Hamas has approved the potential release of 34 hostages in support of a ceasefire deal with Israel, according to new reports.

Citing an unnamed senior Hamas official, the BBC reported on Monday the list it was shown by the Palestinian militant group includes 10 women, as well as young children. It’s not clear how many people on the list are still alive, after being held in Gaza for over a year.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office said Monday morning that the list of hostages was “originally given by Israel to the mediators” attempting to broker agreements in July last year.

Newsweek has reached out to a representative for Hamas and to Netanyahu for comment. Netanyahu’s office declined to comment beyond the statement issued publicly on Monday morning.

Why it Matters

The reports could indicate there is hope for a deal to return the remaining hostages and stop the war in Gaza after talks have repeatedly stalled. Negotiations have been spurred on by efforts to close a deal before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House from January 20.

What To Know

The BBC reported that ten women, as well as young children Hamas previously said had been killed by an Israeli airstrike, were included on the list. Eleven male hostages between the ages of 50 and 85 are also featured, as are an unspecified number of hostages who the Palestinian group says are sick, according to the report.

Reuters reported Sunday that it had also seen a copy of a list, naming 34 hostages. But Israel expressed concern about how many were alive. The Israeli leader’s office added in the statement Monday: “As yet, Israel has not received any confirmation or comment by Hamas regarding the status of the hostages appearing on the list.”

Hamas and Israeli officials had expressed cautious optimism over negotiations in mid-December. Basen Naim, a Hamas spokesperson and senior member of its political bureau, told Newsweek at the time that there were “still no concrete final results,” but the negotiations were “progressing in a good manner, in a positive and optimistic environment.”

More than 1,200 people were killed when Hamas launched its unprecedented October 7 attacks in 2023, with 251 others taken into Gaza. The Israeli military has said that it believes one third of the remaining 96 hostages in the territory are dead.

Israel vowed to eradicate Hamas, launching its extensive aerial campaign and ground operations that have devastated the densely populated Palestinian enclave since October 2023.

Hamas-run authorities say more than 45,800 people have been killed in Gaza. This number does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel launched numerous attacks on Gaza over the weekend, including in central and southern Gaza, according to local officials.

Netanyahu and senior Israeli officials have faced mounting pressure to secure the release of the hostages before fulfilling the Israeli military’s goal of destroying Hamas.

Israeli newspaper, The Jerusalem Post, reported on Sunday, citing an unnamed source familiar with the matter, that talks to secure the hostages’ release and pause fighting in the strip were ongoing, but they were “progressing slowly.”

The newspaper reported that it wasn’t yet clear when the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, David Barnea, would head to Qatar for talks. An Israeli source with knowledge of the talks told Newsweek last month that Barnea would likely be a high-profile player in the cohort of senior political figures likely to join the negotiations in their final stages.

On Saturday, Hamas’ armed wing released a video purporting to show Liri Albag, a now-19 year old hostage who has been in Gaza since October 2023 after being captured close to the border with the strip. A statement from her family, published by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, said the video “torn our hearts to pieces,” adding: “This is not the daughter and sister we know. She is not well, her severe psychological distress is evident.”

Who Said What

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Monday: “The list of hostages that has been published in the media was not provided to Israel by Hamas but was originally given by Israel to the mediators in July 2024. As yet, Israel has not received any confirmation or comment by Hamas regarding the status of the hostages appearing on the list. Israel will continue to act relentlessly for the return of all of our hostages.”

U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, told reporters during a press conference in South Korea on Monday that “we very much want to bring this over the finish line in the next two weeks, the time we have remaining,” when asked about a ceasefire deal.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the loved ones of the hostages, said Monday: “The time has come for a comprehensive agreement that will bring back all hostages. We know more than half are still alive and need immediate rehabilitation, while those who were murdered must be returned for proper burial.”

What Happens Next

It is not yet clear when a deal will be reached, nor how many hostages would be returned in such an agreement and how long a ceasefire in Gaza could hold for.