On January 6, Israel announced it has not received any updates from Hamas regarding 34 hostages reported to be held in the Gaza Strip. Hamas had reportedly expressed readiness to release these hostages as part of a possible prisoner exchange. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office emphasized that they have not received confirmation from Hamas and noted that the list of hostages was originally provided to mediators in July 2024. Hamas claims their list includes vulnerable individuals such as women, children, and the elderly.