Hamas and Israel have exchanged lists of captives slated for release as part of a proposed ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, officials confirmed Wednesday, raising hopes of a breakthrough after months of bloodshed.
Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nunu announced that both sides shared names through mediators, in line with criteria previously discussed. While he did not reveal exact figures, al-Nunu said the lists included “a specific amount” of Palestinian prisoners whose release Hamas is demanding in return for Israeli hostages reported by Mehr News Agency.
Talks are taking place in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, where delegations from Hamas and Israel resumed indirect negotiations on October 6. Egypt and Qatar are leading the mediation, with U.S. involvement represented by presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and former White House adviser Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of former President Donald Trump.
“The atmosphere is optimistic,” al-Nunu said on Hamas’s official Telegram channel, adding that mediators were making “tremendous efforts” to push the process forward.
The negotiations mark the most concrete sign in weeks that the two bitter enemies could be edging closer to a truce. Both sides have faced mounting international pressure to halt the violence and secure the release of hostages taken during Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Analysts caution, however, that optimism has faltered before, with earlier talks collapsing over disagreements on the scope of prisoner releases and the conditions of a ceasefire. Still, Wednesday’s exchange of lists signals movement toward compromise, a critical step in a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and deepened regional instability.
Diplomatic sources say the final shape of any agreement will depend on whether mediators can bridge the divide over numbers and sequencing—issues that have repeatedly stalled past negotiations.
For now, the symbolic act of exchanging lists has injected a rare sense of momentum, leaving families of captives and prisoners on both sides clinging to cautious hope.
