Tel Aviv, Israel

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As negotiations between Israel and Hamas continue to secure a hostage deal in Gaza, an Israeli official has told The Times of Israel that Hamas has offered “signs of life” for several of the hostages.

The official said that Israel is aware of the locations of most hostages but did not confirm whether Hamas had shared a list identifying those who are alive.

The official further clarified that Israel is not considering ending the war as part of any agreement but is open to a “prolonged ceasefire” arrangement instead.

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In a separate development, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that it conducted an overnight airstrike on Sunday (December 22), targeting a group of Hamas militants at a command centre located within a former school in Gaza City.

The military said that Hamas was using the Musa Bin Nusair school as a base to plan and launch attacks on Israeli forces and territories. The building had also been serving as a shelter for displaced Gazans.

Palestinian medical officials have reported that at least six people were killed in the strike.

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Also read: Khamenei rejects ‘proxy force’ claims, says Hezbollah, Hamas act independently

Reports on a potential hostage exchange deal

Meanwhile, an Egyptian news outlet has reported on ongoing negotiations for a possible hostage-ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. According to unnamed sources cited in Al-Ghad's report, Hamas is demanding additional compensation to release 11 male hostages requested by Israel in the first phase of the deal.

The proposed deal reportedly involves the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails in exchange for children held captive in Gaza, five female soldiers, and elderly or ill captives. Israel is said to have requested the release of 34 hostages in total, including the 11 men considered by Hamas to be soldiers.

The report suggests that Hamas has agreed to the inclusion of these 11 hostages in exchange for “special consideration." As per the report, other points under discussion reportedly include reopening the Rafah Border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Netzarim Corridor, and return of Gazan civilians to northern areas of the Strip.

Also read: Israeli minister threatens to 'crush Hezbollah's head' if ceasefire breaches

Pope Francis criticises Israeli actions in Gaza

Pope Francis has again criticised Israel for strikes on Gaza, calling them acts of "cruelty." Speaking after his weekly Angelus prayer, the pope said, “And with pain I think of Gaza, of so much cruelty, of the children being machine-gunned, of the bombings of schools and hospitals. What cruelty.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has strongly rejected the pope’s comments, describing them as “disappointing” and accusing him of failing to acknowledge the context of Israel’s fight against what it describes as jihadist terrorism, which began after the October 7 attacks.

In another development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a meeting with his security cabinet in northern Israel, the Times of Israel reported.

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)