LONDON, November 12. /TASS/. Hamas has suspended talks on the release of hostages it took during the October 7 attack on Israel, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing an unnamed Palestinian official.

According to the official, this decision followed Israel’s attack on al-Shifa Hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip. No further details were given.

The Al Hadath television channel reported on November 1o that an agreement had been reached to exchange Palestinian women and teenagers held in Israeli prisons for 100 women and children held hostage by the radical Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip.

NBC News said earlier on Sunday, citing a US administration official, that Hamas and Israel were discussing possible release of 80 hostages if Israel releases Palestinian women and teenagers held in its prisons. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed that the United States is taking part in the talks between Israel and Qatar on the hostage release but gave no details.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the radical Palestinian group Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Hamas described its operation as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and carried out air strikes on the Palestinian enclave, as well as some areas of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank.