Israel says Hamas has not provided any information about the status of those 34 hostages, dampening any notion that the endorsement is a step toward a deal to stop the war.

Hamas has approved a list of 34 Israeli hostages to be exchanged in a possible ceasefire deal, Reuters reported, citing a Hamas official. The Israeli government denied receiving a list of hostages from Hamas, adding that the names published in the media are from an older list that Israel had presented to mediators.

The deal would secure release of a third of the approximately 100 hostages who remain in Gaza, including two dual U.S.-Israeli nationals. In return, Israel would release some Palestinian prisoners.

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

A British woman is on a Hamas list of hostages approved for release, which has been widely criticised by families in Israel, The Telegraph has learnt.

President-elect Trump repeated his warnings that all hell will break loose in the Middle East if hostages kidnapped from Israel and held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip are not released before his inauguration on Jan.

President-elect Donald Trump held a news conference where he said "all hell will break out" in the Middle East if the hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, from Israel are not returned by Inauguration Day.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has approved a list of hostages it is willing to exchange in the event of a ceasefire. Israel denies any such preparations, stating that it has not received any lists,