DUBAI, November 17. /TASS/. Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas are close to an agreement on the release of hostages seized by the radicals on October 7, the Al Arabiya TV channel reported, citing sources.

According to the channel, the possible deal involves the release of 50 hostages held by militants in the Gaza Strip in exchange for 50 women and children held in Israel. The agreement also includes the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave. The TV channel’s sources confirmed that the deal includes a three-day ceasefire.

The Al Hadath TV channel reported on November 10 that an agreement had been reached to exchange Palestinian women and teenagers held in Israeli prisons for 100 women and children held hostage by Hamas. On November 2, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said that the number of hostages held in Gaza was at least 242. The NBC TV channel reported, citing a representative of the administration of US President Joe Biden, that Hamas and Israel are discussing the possibility of releasing 80 hostages if the country releases Palestinian women and teenagers from prisons. Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed that the US is involved in talks between Israel and Qatar on the release of the hostages, but did not provide details.

ABC TV reported on November 15, citing a senior Israeli official, that a deal to release the hostages could be announced in the next two or three days. According to sources of the Reuters news agency, Hamas has agreed to the general terms of a deal with Israel in which it would release about 50 hostages in exchange for a three-day ceasefire in Gaza. However, ABC quoted an Israeli official as saying that the issue of the number of hostages Hamas is willing to release is the main obstacle to the swap. Israel is insisting on the release of all the children, their mothers and their families, a total of about 80 hostages. Hamas, in turn, is willing to release only women and small children, or about 50 people.