HAMAS and Israel said today that they were close to reaching a deal over the freeing of prisoners of war taken in the surprise uprising on October 7.

The possible deal was confirmed by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said he would be convening a meeting of his war cabinet on Tuesday evening “in light of developments related to the release of the abductees.”

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh released statements to wire news agencies and Palestinian outlets saying they are “close to reaching a deal.”

It is being reported that a tentative deal includes a five-day truce including a ceasefire in ground fighting and limits on Israeli air operations in southern Gaza.

Palestinian fighters would be expected to release between 50 to 100 Israeli civilian prisoners of war or those from other nationalities. Soldiers would not be included.

In return, some 300 Palestinian women and children would be released from detention by the Israelis.

Hamas reportedly says that negotiations have centred on the duration of the truce and the delivery of aid.

Qatar, which has brokered the deal, is expected to announce it after both sides have confirmed their agreement.

Meanwhile fierce fighting continued around the Indonesian hospital near Jabaliya on Tuesday.

Marwan Abdallah, a medical worker at the hospital, said heavy fighting outside its gates prevented ambulances from bringing wounded people in for treatment. 

He said: “The situation is worsening hour by hour.”

Palestinian officials said an Israeli shell struck the hospital early on Monday, killing 12 people. Israel denied shelling the hospital, but said its troops returned fire on militants who targeted them from inside the compound.

Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra said roughly 200 wounded patients and their companions were evacuated from the hospital to southern Gaza on Monday in a rescue effort co-ordinated by the United Nations and the International Committee for the Red Cross.

However, between 400 and 500 wounded remain, Ashraf told Al Jazeera television, while some 2,000 displaced Palestinians are also sheltering there.

Across Gaza, there are severe shortages of food, water and fuel for generators to power basic infrastructure. There has been a territory-wide blackout since Israel cut off fuel imports at the start of the war.

More than 12,900 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry. Many thousands more are thought to be dead or injured, buried beneath the rubble of bombed out buildings.

At least 1,200 Israelis are reported to have been killed.