Israel and Hamas are believed to have agreed that 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others should be released during the first 60 days of a cease-fire, but they have not reached a consensus on how many Palestinian prisoners should be freed during the same period. Up to 20 hostages are still thought to be alive.

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 38 Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials told the Associated Press on Sunday, as Israel's military said it has struck over 100 targets in the embattled enclave in the past day.

While UN and European officials hope that a cease-fire deal would help ease suffering among the Strip’s population, Israelis worry that as in the

Israeli officials said on Tuesday that gaps can be bridged between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas at peace talks in Qatar, though it may take more than a few days to reach a deal to free hostages and halt fighting.

As Israel and Hamas move closer to a ceasefire agreement, Israel says it wants to maintain troops in a southern corridor of the Gaza Strip — a condition that could derail the talks.

The Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 57,800 Palestinians so far, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages and the spread of diseases.

Netanyahu said, “I believe there’s a good chance we will reach a ceasefire, and it will bring us closer to the goal I have set.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has attended a memorial service for two slain Israeli Embassy staffers at the end of his trip to Washington.