The 42-day truce between Israel and Hamas is set to expire this weekend unless an agreement is struck to extend it. The two sides were meant to begin talks on a permanent end to the war in early February;

Hamas says talks with Israel about further steps in the Gaza ceasefire deal are conditional on Palestinian prisoners being freed as agreed. Israel said on Sunday it was delaying the release of more than 600 Palestinians in return for six living and four dead hostages who had been freed,

The Palestinian militant organization Hamas on Tuesday said it has reached an agreement with Israel for the simultaneous release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners by Israel and the return of four Israeli hostages' bodies by Hamas.