---
title: "Hamas, Israel signal possible expansion of hostage-deal criteria"
description: "Hamas said it had sought a new truce deal with Israel under which the Palestinian militant group would free hostages beyond the women and children it has already released from the Gaza Strip."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "World"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-11-29-hamas-israel-signal-possible-expansion-of-hostage-deal-criteria/"
published: "2023-11-29T05:26:47"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 228
---

# Hamas, Israel signal possible expansion of hostage-deal criteria

> Hamas said it had sought a new truce deal with Israel under which the Palestinian militant group would free hostages beyond the women and children it has already released from the Gaza Strip.

By Reuters · Published 29 November 2023, 07:26 SAST

## Key points
- Daily Maverick's take: Israel expands the roster of Palestinian detainees to be released in exchange for hostages, signaling a revision of truce terms is being considered.
- Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya has called for a revision of truce terms.
- Israel has extended the four-day truce by two more days and pre-cleared 300 Palestinian detainees for prospective release.
- Late on Monday, the Israeli cabinet added 50 female prisoners to that roster.
- Hamas still holds some 240 people captive, including fathers and husbands of those it has freed in recent days.

## Content

The remarks by Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya late on Monday came as Israel expanded the roster of Palestinian detainees it could release in exchange for hostages — another signal that a revision of truce terms was being considered.

“We hope the Occupation (Israel) abides (by the agreement) in the next two days because we are seeking a new agreement, besides women and children, whereby other categories that we have that we can swap,” Al-Hayya told Al Jazeera.

That, he said, would entail “going towards an additional time period to continue swapping people at this stage”.

On Monday, the original four-day [truce was extended](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3CS2O0&linkedFromStory=true) by two more days.

Under the Qatari- and Egyptian-mediated deal clinched last week, Hamas has freed 50 Israeli women and children hostages in return for 150 Palestinian detainees released by Israel, with an option of doubling those numbers if the truce is extended by five days.

Accordingly, Israel had originally pre-cleared 300 Palestinian women and teenage male detainees for prospective release.

Late on Monday, the Israeli cabinet added 50 female prisoners to that roster, according to officials.

Asked to explain the new number, Israeli government spokespeople did not immediately respond.

Hamas seized some 240 people during its cross-border killing spree on 7 October that sparked the Gaza war. Among hostages it still holds are fathers and husbands of those it has freed in recent days.