Ready to free 34 hostages, says Hamas

A Hamas official said on Sunday the group was ready to free 34 hostages in the "first phase" of a potential deal with Israel, after Israel said indirect talks on a truce and hostage release agreement had resumed in Qatar.

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Now, "Hamas has agreed to release 34 Israeli prisoners from a list presented by Israel as part of the first phase of a prisoner exchange deal," said an official of the Palestinian militants.

Israel said that Hamas had yet to clarify whether 34 hostages it claimed it was ready to free were dead or alive, throwing doubt on the group's assertion that it needed time to ascertain their fate.