Israel says a Hamas list shows that eight of the 33 hostages to be released in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire are dead.

Hamas agreed to release three more hostages on Thursday, after it failed to release civilian Arbel Yehud on Saturday, in exchange for Israel opening Monday morning the passage to northern Gaza.

Eight of the 26 hostages still to be released from Gaza during the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire are dead, The Telegraph has learned.

Mediator Qatar announced early Monday that an agreement has been reached to release an Israeli civilian hostage and allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, easing the first major crisis of the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The Islamist group Hamas has said that eight of 33 hostages to be released in the first phase of a ceasefire agreement with Israel are dead. Twenty-five of them are still alive, a member of the Palestinian militant group told dpa.

Whether hostages are alive or dead inside Gaza has been a heartbreaking question for waiting families who have pushed Israel to reach a deal to free them.