DOHA (Reuters) – Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said on Sunday he had growing confidence that a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas would be reached, adding challenges that remained were "very minor".
"The challenges facing the agreement are just practical and logistical," Sheikh Mohammed said at a joint press conference with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Doha.
The Washington Post, citing people familiar with the deal, reported that Israel, the United States and Hamas militants had reached a tentative agreement to free dozens of women and children held hostage in Gaza in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US officials said no deal had been reached yet.
Reuters said on Nov. 15 that Qatari mediators had been seeking a deal between Israel and Hamas to exchange 50 hostages in return for a three-day ceasefire, citing an official briefed on the talks. At the time, the official said general outlines had been agreed but Israel had still been negotiating details.