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Middle East conflict

Israel says ready for week of ceasefire with Hamas in exchange for hostages — TV

The group will contain the remaining women, elderly people and wounded men, according to the officials

NEW YORK, December 23. /TASS/. Israel has offered a week-long pause in the Gaza Strip for returning around 35 hostages held in the enclave by the radical Palestine movement Hamas, the CNN TV channel reported citing high-ranked US officials.

The group will contain the remaining women, elderly people and wounded men, according to the officials. The channel did not specify the response of Hamas’ representatives to the proposal.

Earlier this week Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that the country was ready for another humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip and an increase in the amount of humanitarian aid for the enclave's population to ensure the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli borderline kibbutz settlements and taking over 200 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. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, 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.

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