Talks this week discussed specifics of hostage-Palestinian prisoner exchange — report

Hostage release-ceasefire talks this week focused on the details of an exchange of captives taken on October 7 and Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, Axios reports, citing Israeli and US officials.

According to a proposal, 33 women, men over 50, or hostages with serious medical conditions would be swapped in the first stage of a deal for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, 150 of whom serve life sentences for murder, the report says.

If less than 33 hostages in the above categories are alive, Hamas will hand over the bodies of dead hostages to make up the difference, the report says, adding that mediators have transferred a list to the terror group of captives Israel qualifies for release in the first stage.

Israeli officials tell Axios negotiators are discussing a list of prisoners given by Hamas it wants to be released in the deal. While no final decision has been reached on the list, significant progress has been made on the issue, the officials say.