Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, spoke with the secretary general of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziad Nachala on Monday evening about war developments and the hostage deal issues, according to Israeli media.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said on Tuesday his militant movement was nearing a truce agreement with Israel, according to a statement posted on Telegram.
"We are close to reaching a deal on a truce," Haniyeh said, according to the post.
Negotiators have been working to seal a deal to allow the release of around 240 mostly Israeli hostages seized on October 7, during the deadliest assault on Israel in its history.
Hamas fighters also killed around 1,200 people during their cross-border assault, most of them civilians.
Israel launched a relentless bombing campaign and ground offensive in retaliation for the attack, vowing to destroy Hamas and secure the release of the hostages.
According to the Hamas government in Gaza, the war has killed more than 13,300 people, thousands of them children.
Intense negotiations mediated by Qatar, where Hamas has a political office and where Haniyeh is based, have been underway.
Qatar's prime minister said Sunday that a deal to free some of the hostages in return for a temporary ceasefire hinged on "minor" practical issues.
On Monday, US President Joe Biden said he believed a deal to free the hostages was close.
"I believe so," Biden said when asked whether a hostage deal was near.
Biden then crossed his fingers to signal he hoped for good luck.
Two sources familiar with the talks told AFP a tentative deal includes a five-day truce, comprised of a ceasefire on the ground and limits to Israeli air operations over southern Gaza.
In return, between 50 and 100 prisoners held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad -- a separate Palestinian militant group -- would be released.
They would include Israeli civilians and captives of other nationalities, but no military personnel.
Under the proposed deal, some 300 Palestinians would be released from Israeli jails, among them women and children.
The White House said the negotiations were in the "endgame" stage, but refused to give further details, saying it could jeopardise a successful outcome.
Separately, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Monday that its president had travelled to Qatar to meet Hamas's Haniyeh "to advance humanitarian issues related to the armed conflict in Israel and Gaza".
In a statement, the Geneva-based organisation said it was continuing "to appeal for the urgent protection of all victims in the conflict, and for the alleviation of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza strip".
It also said it had "persistently called for the immediate release of hostages".
Targets 60 Israeli military vehicles: Hamas
Spokesperson for Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida also said that Al-Qassam fighters targeted 60 Israeli military vehicles in the past three days—including 10 armored carriers.
Abu Obeida added Al-Qassam fighters targeted an infantry force with anti-personnel devices, causing significant injuries and hearing the enemy’s screams for help.
Abu Obeida noted that fierce clashes continue with the enemy on several fronts in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas military spokesman pointed that Al-Qassam fighters carried out several qualitative operations against the enemy—resulting in fatalities and wounded among soldiers.
“When the enemy is unable to tow its damaged vehicles, it resorts to bombing them from the air to erase the traces of its failure,” he said.
A force of elite fighters, consisting of 25 fighters, carried out a composite attack on the enemy forces at Rantisi Hospital, which the enemy turned into a base after evacuating it of patients, Hamas military spokesman said.
Abu Obeida reported also that, a group of 25 elite fighters, carried out a composite attack on the enemy forces at Rantisi Hospital, which the enemy turned into a base after evacuating it of patients.
Six Americans killed since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack into Israel
There are a little more than 1,200 Americans, legal permanent residents and family members still in Gaza and at least six US citizens have been killed since the Oct. 7 rampage into Israel by Hamas, the US State Department said on Monday.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told a briefing that around 800 Americans, legal permanent residents and family members had left Gaza via the Rafah crossing to Egypt and "there are a little over 1,200 left."
Six Americans have died since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, he said, comprised of five Israeli troops - four killed in Gaza and one killed in northern Israel - and a national police border officer.
White House: 'We are close to hostage deal, but still work to be done'
White House Spokesman John Kirby spoke on Monday about the release of hostages that are still being held in Gaza by Hamas terrorists.
"We are still continuing to work on the release of the abductees," Kirby said. "We are close and hope that a deal can be reached, but there is still work to be done."
Kirby also mentioned that the number of US citizens that have been able to be moved out of Gaza through the Rafah crossing is now at 800 people.
