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Hamas to release 33 hostages amid ceasefire agreement

Hamas had taken 94 hostages during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. 

• January 14, 2025
HAMAS MILITANTS
HAMAS MILITANTS [Credit: NBC News]

Amid an ongoing ceasefire agreement, Hamas is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages.  

“Hamas is expected to release 33 hostages during the first phase of an emerging ceasefire agreement,” CNN reported on Tuesday, citing two Israeli officials familiar with the matter.  

It added, “Israel believes that most of the 33 hostages are alive, a senior Israeli official told reporters on Monday, but the bodies of deceased hostages will also likely be among those released during the initial 42-day ceasefire.”  

This development comes amid ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire in Doha, Qatar.  

Hamas had taken 94 hostages during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which left around 1,000 people dead.  

The attack sparked hostilities between Israel and Palestine, leading to Israeli forces killing two Hamas leaders in quick succession.  

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