Israeli officials said on Monday that one of the hostages abducted by Hamas has likely given birth in Gaza. The assumption is not based on any intelligence or concrete information but solely on the fact that the woman was in her ninth month of pregnancy when she was abducted over a month ago. According to a Washington Post report on Monday evening, Israel and Hamas are close to reaching a hostage deal in which most of the women and children held hostage in Gaza will be released. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)