Hostage release agreement seemingly close

It seems that the parties to the war in Gaza are nearing an agreement on the return of some of the hostages taken by Hamas during its surprise attack on Israel on October 7. Both US President Biden and US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby have indicated some movement, according to Reuters. During a ceremony at the White House for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, Joe Biden responded to a question from a reporter about whether a hostage deal is on the way. “I think so,” the president said.
      John Kirby, who spoke at a press conference on Monday evening Danish time, mirrored the president’s view. About 240 people were taken hostage by Hamas. So far, a few have been released. It is unknown how many surviving hostages remain.

LATEST: Hamas said overnight Tuesday that it was moving closer to an agreement with the Israeli leadership in which the parties would stop fighting in the Gaza Strip, according to the leader of Hamas’s political wing, Ismail Haniyeh. According to Haniyeh, Hamas has delivered a response to officials in Qatar, where large parts of the Hamas leadership live. An agreement has not yet been confirmed by Israel or Hamas. It is also not immediately clear whether prisoner exchanges will be part of the agreement. /ritzau/Reuters/