The Hamas terror group has passed Israel a list of terrorists who the terror group demands be freed in the first stage of any ceasefire-prisoner swap deal, but has not yet passed Israel a list of living hostages under its control.
The first stage of a the proposed deal would include the release of 250 convicted terrorists. On the list are archterrorist Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences; and PFLP leader Ahmed Saadat, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Egyptian sources said, "Israel has submitted a list of 34 hostages who it demands be released in the first stage of the deal - including 11 who do not meet the criteria of this stage. Hamas has agreed to release whoever Israel requests to bring back in the first stage - on condition that they receive special compensation."
The first stage of the proposed deal will not include complete withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, but Hamas is still insisting on receiving guarantees that the war will end if the deal continues to the second stage. In the second stage, male hostages will be released, among them young men and soldiers. In the third stage, according to the original plan, bodies of dead hostages will be released.
On Saturday night, an Israeli diplomatic source denied that Barghouti would be released in a deal.
"In contradiction to the false reports, terrorist Marwan Barghouti will not be released if and when a hostage deal comes to fruition," the source said.
Israel is expected to allow gradual and controlled return of women and children under fighting age to northern Gaza, but Hamas is continuing to oppose any system which will prevent armed individuals from returning to northern Gaza.