Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Sunday that the current days are "critical" regarding the release of Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip, expressing hope for reaching a deal with Hamas "soon."
The Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported early Sunday that an Israeli delegation, including Mossad Chief David Barnea and Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar, arrived in Qatar for talks on a swap deal with Hamas.
"These are critical days for the release of the hostages," Herzog said on X.
According to KAN, representatives from the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trump would participate in the meetings in Doha, led by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Witkoff met on Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of efforts to advance a deal for the release of the Israeli hostages, KAN said, without providing further details.
On Friday, Israeli media reported that Qatar has sent a "positive message" to Israel regarding Hamas' willingness to move forward with negotiations on the hostage deal.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, citing unnamed sources, said on Saturday that "90% of the details of the potential prisoner exchange deal have been agreed upon."
The prisoner swap and cease-fire talks, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US, have been interrupted several times due to new conditions imposed by Netanyahu.
The Israeli opposition and families of captives accuse Netanyahu of obstructing efforts to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.
The Israeli army has continued a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed more than 46,500 victims, most of them women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
