Israel wants all children and women freed before discussing broader hostage deal

Israel will push for all children and civilian women hostages to be released as part of the current ceasefire deal with Hamas before broadening negotiations to free adult male and soldier hostages, says an official from the Prime Minister’s Office.

“We have an agreement, the agreement concerns kids and women. We know the names of all the kids and all the women that are in the Gaza Strip. We don’t accept this suggestion that Hamas doesn’t know where they are…that it would have trouble finding them,” the official says.

Israel “won’t abandon 27 people in order to discuss a new agreement that would also be violated in the same way,” the official says, referring to abducted Israelis who have yet to be released. Hamas is reportedly willing to further extend the ceasefire, now in its sixth day and set to expire tomorrow morning.

If Hamas can release all the remaining women and children, “we’ll be more than eager to discuss the other groups that are still there,” the official adds.

The official also dismisses reports of an all-for-all deal, whereby Israel would release all Palestinian security prisoners in exchange for the remaining hostages and an end to the war.

“We are not aware of such a possibility. We are doubtful that there is such an offer,” the official says.