A senior Hamas official has stated that the group is prepared to release 34 Israeli hostages in the 'first phase' of a potential prisoner exchange deal. The hostages to be released include women, children, elderly people, and sick captives. However, Hamas has yet to provide a list of the hostages to be released, and they require time to determine whether they are alive or dead. Out of the 251 hostages seized during the October 7, 2023 attack, 96 remain in Gaza, including 34 who are believed to be dead.