Jerusalem, Jan 13
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said on Monday that "progress" has been achieved in the talks held in Qatar on a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that will secure the release of the hostages.
"There is progress in the negotiations to release the hostages," Sa'ar said during joint remarks alongside Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who is on a trip to the region.
"Israel very much wants to release the hostages and is working hard to reach a deal," Sa'ar said.
One sticking point in the indirect negotiations has been the nature of the ceasefire. Hamas is demanding a permanent truce, while Israel seeks a temporary pause, maintaining the option to resume military operations if necessary for security reasons.
The talks in Doha aim to end the more than 15 months of deadly war between Israel and Hamas.