(VOVWORLD) - Israeli negotiators have never been closer to a deal for the release of hostages in Gaza since the November 2023 ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Monday.
 Devastation in Gaza after Israeli airstrikes on December 7, 2024. (Photo:Xinhua/VNA) |
A source later told AFP that an Israeli technical team had arrived in Doha, Qatar, on Monday to discuss the ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza.
A senior Hamas official based in Doha also said that the negotiations were progressing. He said Hamas had informed the Egyptian and Qatari mediators of its readiness to end the conflict.
The talks are currently focused on bridging gaps between Israel and Hamas on the deal US President Joe Biden outlined in May.
Efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to reach a truce in Gaza and a release of hostages have gained momentum in recent weeks, though there has been no breakthrough.