Hamas had provided mediators with a list of 34 Israeli captives taken during its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The list reportedly includes women, children, and older or injured individuals who could be released as part of the “first phase of a prisoner exchange deal.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday amid a push to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, Netanyahu's office said. After the meeting,

President-elect Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Saturday to push for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, Israeli officials said. Why it matters: Witkoff's traveled to Israel from Qatar as part of a last-minute effort by Trump to press all parties involved in the negotiations to conclude the deal before Jan. 20.