BEIRUT, November 7. /TASS/. Hamas has accused Israel of stopping a group of hostages it is holding from being released.

"Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ militant wing - TASS) were about to release a group of 12 foreigners but the release was disrupted by occupational forces," Hamas said in a statement posted on its Telegram channel on Tuesday. "We reiterated that we are still ready to release them." According to Hamas, "the Zionist aggression in Gaza threatens the lives of these people."

Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obaida said on October 29 that the movement was ready to make a deal to swap Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons for all the hostages they had captured in Israel on October 7.

According to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Daniel Hagari, Israel has verified data about 229 people who are held hostage by radicals in the Gaza Strip.

According to Al-Dameer, a human rights organization, some 5,200 Palestinians, including 33 women and 170 minors, are being kept in Israeli prisons and 1,200 more are under administrative detention.