TEL AVIV, November 20. /TASS/. The radical Palestinian Hamas movement has resumed contacts with Israel through Qatari mediators on the release of hostages seized by the extremists on October 7, the Israeli news outlet Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

Israeli officials confirmed that Hamas has resumed contacts with Qatari mediators negotiating with Israel on a prisoner swap deal for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, the news outlet said. It added that the Israeli war cabinet is discussing the proposed deal.

On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal quoted Egyptian officials as saying that Hamas could agree to the release of 50 women and children on the condition that Israel agree to a five-day ceasefire. The newspaper said that the radicals would release as many hostages as the number of women and children released from Israeli prisons. The sources said that the hostages would be taken through the Rafah checkpoint on the Gaza-Egypt border. Hamas also guarantees that mothers will not be separated from their children.

According to Israeli authorities, Hamas is holding a total of 240 to 250 hostages. Most are Israeli citizens, including some people with dual citizenship who also hold passports of Germany, the US and other countries. About 35 are foreigners who are not Israeli citizens, most of them are Thai residents who worked in the country.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when Hamas militants staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack 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 has announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank.