The US and Qatar signalled on Sunday that they were edging closer to a deal to release a significant number of civilian hostages held by Hamas in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Any breakthrough is expected to lead to a multi-day pause in Israel’s offensive on Gaza and an increase of urgently needed aid into the coastal enclave that is enduring a deepening humanitarian crisis.
The plight of about 240 hostages has exacerbated the trauma of Israelis, and become a politically sensitive issue for prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he pushes ahead with the offensive against Hamas, while families of the captives have pressured his government to do more to secure their freedom.
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