Hamas confessed it couldn't locate the 40 hostages needed to meet the terms of the first part of a three-phase, U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Negotiators have proposed a temporary six-week stop in fighting more than six months after the onset of the Israel-Hamas war.

During the suggested pause, 40 Israeli hostages held in Gaza would be swapped for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, sources familiar with the negotiations said, according to CNN. 

Hamas' inability to provide negotiators with a record of the remaining hostages while admitting they can't account for their whereabouts has raised concerns that more may be dead than anticipated and has slowed down the progression toward the agreement. 

A total of 133 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, and 36 are confirmed dead, according to the Washington Post. While most are believed to be men of military age, some toddlers and elderly remain imprisoned.

Hamas claims they need a pause in fighting to be able to locate and gather the hostages that are spread out across Gaza, CNN reported.

The last ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was in November 2023, when more than 100 hostages, including women and children, were released.