Israel and Hamas close to hostage deal: Report

Gaza [Palestine], January 7: 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.
"Contrary to what was claimed, Hamas has yet to provide a list of hostages," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
Reuters reported on Sunday, citing an unidentified Hamas official, that the release of the hostages would be contingent on reaching an agreement regarding Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire.
Israel and Hamas are also negotiating the number and identities of Palestinian prisoners and detainees who would be released in exchange for the hostages. It is not clear which hostages are on the list reported by Reuters, or whether they are living or dead. In recent weeks, Israel has told CNN they have yet to receive a full list of living hostages from the Palestinian group.
This comes just days after indirect negotiations for a ceasefire-for-hostages deal resumed in Doha, talks that have so far shown few signs of progress, according to Israeli and Egyptian officials. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that despite reports of new "optimism" around talks, "there is not much new, slow progress for now."
"What we've seen in the last couple of weeks is a re-intensified engagement, including by Hamas, but we have yet to see agreement on the final points," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters during a trip to South Korea on Monday.
"We very much want to bring this over the finish line in the next two weeks, the time we have remaining."
Source: Qatar Tribune