Report: Hostage talks progressing slowly, no breakthrough yet

Citing unnamed Israeli sources, Channel 12 news reports that hostage talks continue to advance slowly, but that there has been no breakthrough yet, with a major sticking point being Hamas’s ongoing refusal to supply Israel with a list of hostages it proposes to release in the first stage of a deal.

The network also says that with Israel demanding some 30 living hostages be freed in the first stage, the list necessarily includes young men, all of whom are considered by Hamas as soldiers due to being of fighting age.

The report says the terror group is demanding the release of high-profile Palestinian prisoners in exchange for such hostages.