Qatar has been attempting to broker a deal wherein Hamas would agree to release between 10 and 15 of some 240 civilian hostages it took to Gaza after its massive attack last month if Israel could guarantee a one- to two-day pause in the fighting.

A source familiar with the matter told Agence France Presse, that negotiations mediated by the Qataris "in coordination with the US are ongoing to secure the release of 10-15 hostages in exchange for a one- to two-day ceasefire."

The New York Times reported on Wednesday (November 8) that Qatar would have brokered a deal that would allow the release of up to 50 hostages, but such reports are still yet to be verified or confirmed.

Read Also: US Insists Israel To Take Humanitarian Pause, Plans To Rescue Hostages

(Photo: HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images) Posters of three of the kidnapped, Israeli Eliya Cohen, Israeli-French Mia Schem, and Israeli Alon Ohel are seen attached to the back of chairs, at empty places laid out for the 220 hostages at a 'Shabbat' table in the JW3 Piazza in north London on October 27, 2023, as people are invited to view the table and remember the missing and kidnapped after the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7. Thousands of civilians, both Palestinians and Israelis, have died since October 7, 2023, after Palestinian Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip entered southern Israel in an unprecedented attack triggering a war declared by Israel on Hamas with retaliatory bombings on Gaza.

Hostages Freed So Far

Since the war began, five hostages have been freed from the hands of Hamas, the latest of which was when troops of the Israel Defense Force (IDF) liberated one of their own, a servicewoman named Ori Megidish, in one of its preliminary raids before its full-scale invasion a few weeks ago.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that there would be no ceasefire until all of the hostages were returned, despite countless anti-Israel protests calling his government to cease its retaliation against Hamas.

This is a developing story. Please follow HNGN for more updates.

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