Hamas sets major terms to renew hostage swap deal

Hamas has reportedly set major conditions to accept negotiations around renewing efforts to a hostage-prisoner swap deal.

According to two Egyptian security sources, Hamas has insisted on a "complete ceasefire and the cessation of flights in the Gaza Strip as a main condition to accepting negotiations".

In addition, they have also set a "retreat of Israeli forces to some lines on the ground in the Gaza Strip".

They also reportedly insist they must determine the hostage swap list and not one that's "imposed on it by anyone".

The Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza opened for aid trucks on Sunday for the first time since the outbreak of war, officials said, in a move to double the amount of food and medicine reaching Gazans.

The United Nations Security Council could vote as early as Monday on a proposal to demand that Israel and Hamas allow aid access to the Gaza Strip - via land, sea and air routes - and set up UN monitoring of the humanitarian assistance delivered.

Hopes for peace were revived on Saturday when a source said that the head of Israeli intelligence (Mossad) met on Friday with the Prime Minister of Qatar.

Around 19,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health officials, since October 7 when Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities, and captured 240 hostages in their surprise raid.