Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told lawmakers that "some progress" has been made in negotiations to free hostages in Gaza.
His comments in parliament came two days after three Palestinian groups announced in a rare joint statement that a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza war and a prisoner swap was "closer than ever."
Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, have taken place in Doha in recent days. They have revived hopes of an agreement, more than 14 months after the Gaza war began, AFP reports.
"Everything we do cannot be made public. We are taking action to bring them back. I want to cautiously say that there is some progress and we will not stop acting until we bring them all back home. I want to say to the families of the hostages: we are thinking of you and we will not give up on your loved ones who are also our loved ones," Netanyahu explained.
The prime minister also pointed out that Israel's war in Gaza has provided opportunities to sign new peace agreements with Arab states and "dramatically change the face" of the Middle East.
"Moderate Arab states view Israel as a regional power and potential ally. I intend to make the most of this opportunity. Together with our American friends, I plan to expand the Abraham Accords... and thereby change the face of the Middle East even more dramatically," he told parliament.
The Israeli prime minister was referring to agreements that normalised ties between Israel and some Arab states during Donald Trump's first term as US president. | BGNES
