JERUSALEM, Israel – The negotiation efforts to free hostages in the war between Israel and Hamas have been complicated by various factors. As both parties work towards a deal, only a small number of hostages have been released so far. The United States, Israel, and Hamas, along with Qatar as a significant mediator, have been engaged in talks for weeks to secure the release of hostages from Gaza.

One of the complications in the ongoing talks has been the verification of the list of names of hostages and Palestinian prisoners that Hamas and Israel would respectively release as part of the deal. Israel wants to ensure that none of the released prisoners are connected to Hamas and has been carefully scrutinizing the proposed names. Another factor that has slowed down the negotiations is the lack of information about the hostages held by Hamas, as other groups in Gaza are also believed to have taken hostages.

The ongoing fighting and logistical problems, including communication blackouts in Gaza that prevented Hamas leaders from talking to their political leaders in Qatar, have also contributed to the slowdown of negotiations. The indirect style of negotiating, involving mediators from Qatar, has made it difficult at times for messages to be exchanged among all the parties. Despite the cumbersome nature of indirect diplomacy, one US official acknowledged that it is necessary for the negotiation process.

Overall, the negotiation efforts between Israel and Hamas have been hindered by various complications, including the verification of released prisoners, lack of information about hostages, ongoing fighting, and logistical challenges. As the parties continue to work towards a deal, these factors will need to be addressed in order to secure the release of the remaining hostages.