Hamas said refusing release of 12 out of 34 hostages Israel wants freed in first stage of deal

The Hamas terror group has partially rejected a list of hostages that Israel insists must be released during the first phase of any ceasefire deal, the Kan public broadcaster reports.

According to the report, which cites an unnamed Palestinian source, Hamas is willing to release 22 of the 34 hostages on the list but is refusing to agree to the release of the other 12.

Instead, the report states, the Gaza terror group offered to release 22 living hostages and 12 bodies during the first phase of a deal.

Israel turned down the idea and made it clear that it will only accept living hostages during the initial stage of a hostage release and ceasefire deal, the report adds.

The report did not provide further details on the hostages Hamas is reportedly refusing to release, although earlier this month, Egypt’s Al-Ghad outlet reported that Israel requested the inclusion of 11 men considered by Hamas to be soldiers on its list of hostages to be released in the first phase of a potential deal.

The terror group classifies all Israeli men of fighting age to be soldiers.