Israel presented a new proposal through mediators in Doha, demanding the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners, a Hamas official told EFE on Wednesday.

It will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone,” the president-elect warned during a press conference in Mar-a-Lago Tuesday.

Gaza Israel and Hamas are inching closer to a deal to pause their 15-month war in Gaza and enact a hostages-for-prisoners swap, sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations told The National on Wednesday.

Officials say about 100 hostages, including some Americans, who were seized on October 7, 2023, remain captive in Gaza, though they believe many of them may have died in captivity.

Countries with leverage on Hamas must ‘act now’ to conclude a deal, Foreign Ministry Director-General Eden Bar Tal said

Hamas on Tuesday stood by its demand that Israel fully end its assault on Gaza under any deal to release hostages and said US president-elect Donald Trump was rash to say there would be ’hell to pay’ unless they go free by his 20 January inauguration.

An Israeli delegation is expected to arrive in Qatar on Friday to continue negotiations on a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza, a source with knowledge of the talks told CNN on Friday.

Hamas has approved a list of 34 Israeli hostages to be exchanged in a possible ceasefire deal, Reuters reported, citing a Hamas official.

The list is made up of the latest names of captives Hamas has agreed to release in exchange for ceasefire agreement

The prime minister’s office announced on Thursday the approval of a new Israeli delegation to continue hostage negotiations in Doha, Qatar.

President-elect Donald Trump has warned if Hamas does not release all the Israeli hostages before his inauguration "all hell will break out in the Middle East". It comes as Hamas and Israeli officials hold talks with Qatari and Egyptian mediators in the most intensive effort to reach a ceasefire