Israeli officials said on Wednesday evening that there has been some "small but important" progress in the negotiations to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza. "We are working on the numbers and troop deployment and the cease-fire. There is much to finalize. On some critical matters, we have not received answers from Hamas, so we are waiting. This is a slow process, but work is being done."
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U.S. National Security Advisor John Kirby said there has been progress in the talks. He told the New Yorker Magazine that a six-week cease-fire could bring significant change on the ground in Gaza.
Meanwhile, sources told the UK-based Arabic language Asharq Al-Awsat news outlet that Hamas was showing flexibility and is seeking an agreement ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
PARTIES CONTRADICT BIDEN’S OPTIMISM OF AGREEMENT WITHIN A WEEK
(קרדיט: ILTV)
The war cabinet will convene on Thursday to hear about the talks in Qatar, where an Israeli delegation remains. Officials believe an agreement would ultimately be reached but note that there are still differences that must be bridged.
Earlier in the day, the head of the Hamas political bureau Ismail Haniyeh said Israel and the U.S. will not be able to obtain "through political machinations" what they did not obtain through fighting.
"Any flexibility in negotiations, out of concern for the blood of our people, is matched by readiness to defend it," he said.
The families of the hostages began their march to Jerusalem in the morning hours with a call on the government to make a deal that would see their loved ones freed from their captivity by Hamas terrorists.
13-year-old Yagil Yaakov who was freed with his sister after 52 days in Gaza and whose father was murdered after his abduction, thanked the crowd for supporting the families.
Danielle Aloni who was held captive with her six-year-old daughter, said the hostages still in Gaza were in a place without air, food or daylight. "How can I return to a normal life without their freedom?" she asked.