"Hamas Denies Having 40 Israeli Hostages for Ceasefire Deal"

Hamas has informed international mediators that it cannot identify 40 living hostages meeting the criteria for a U.S.-backed ceasefire deal, raising concerns that most of the captives may already be deceased. Both American and Israeli officials fear that the number of deceased hostages is higher than previously believed, with estimates suggesting that many may have died due to health reasons or Israeli strikes on Gaza. The Israeli military and the prime minister's office have not publicly stated their estimates on how many hostages remain alive, but it is believed that 130 hostages are still in Gaza. Last weekend, Israeli authorities confirmed the death of Elad Katzir, a farmer abducted by Hamas during the October 7 attack, further intensifying the situation.