Israeli official says progress achieved in Gaza truce talks
A Palestinian injured in an Israeli strike mourns the death of her sibling in the strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, at Abu Yousef Al-Najjar hospital in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip February 23, 2024.
An Israeli official said on Saturday that the talks held in Paris over a truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict were productive, and a deal could be signed "soon," Israeli state media reported.
The Israeli delegation, headed by Mossad intelligence agency chief David Barnea, Shin Bet internal security chief Ronen Bar and army officials, returned early on Saturday morning.
A new outline for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and a truce was achieved in the talks, which were brokered by Qatari and US negotiators, an Israeli official told Israel's state-owned Kan TV news.
"There is progress and the agreement could be signed soon," said the official. However, he added that more work is needed to bridge gaps between Israel and Hamas. The efforts will continue in follow-up discussions to be held in the coming days.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war Cabinet is expected to receive an update on the results of the talks in the evening.
