Negotiators strike deal to deliver medication to hostages held by Hamas

Negotiators have struck a deal that will allow medicine to be delivered to more than 40 hostages held in Gaza, an official familiar with the discussions said.

Some logistical issues still need to be resolved, but the expectation is that Qatar will soon make a shipment to Egypt, which will then hand it over to the Ministry of Health in Gaza via Rafah crossing. The ministry will then figure out how to get it to the hostages through Hamas.

The Red Cross is not expected to play a role, as it has in other hostage deals in Gaza.

There have been some delays to providing the medication to the hostages, including that Doha is waiting for medicine to arrive from another unnamed country before it can ship it into Gaza, according to the official.

Hamas only agreed to the deal if more medicine was sent for hospitals and Palestinians in Gaza, the official said.

Originally, the request asked Hamas to allow the Red Cross to visit the more than 40 hostages Israel believes are in need of medical treatment or medicine. But Hamas refused to let the Red Cross visit the hostages, according to the official.