A Hamas official has asserted that the militant group is willing to release 40 hostages in the first truce phase, despite recent media reports stating the number was lower, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported on Wednesday.
"It is not possible, of course, to accurately determine the number of living prisoners, but what is certain is that it is higher than the numbers being circulated in the Hebrew media," the source told the newspaper.
The controversy over the number of hostages and their status comes as Hamas also declared adjustments in their demands for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, reducing the number from 500 to 50 for each Israeli soldier.
