Not since the ceasefire in November last year have the parties been this close, Katz said to the Knesset's Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday, reports The Times of Israel.
From Qatar, reports are emerging of talks between Israel and mediating Qatar taking place in secret. According to a source for the news agency AFP, the talks primarily aim to reduce the gap between Israel and Qatar.
But also the Islamist Hamas claims that the negotiations are moving forward. A source within the terrorist-designated organization tells AFP that an agreement on prisoner exchange and ceasefire "is closer than it has ever been, as long as (Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu does not intentionally disrupt the agreement".
Both Hamas and relatives of the hostages, as well as the US President, have previously accused Netanyahu of not working sufficiently to secure an agreement to free the hostages in Gaza.
Netanyahu said on Sunday that the government is working "all the time, without interruption, to bring the hostages home". He added:
The less we talk about it, the better. In this way, we will, with God's help, succeed.
