Hamas’s leader Ismail Haniyeh has said the group is “close” to reaching a truce deal, raising hopes that dozens of people taken hostage in the October 7 attacks could be released.

There was no immediate response from Israel on the status of negotiation efforts to secure the release of some of the estimated 240 hostages seized during Hamas’s attack.

Between 50-100 children, women and the elderly could be released, sources say. Soldiers are not likely to be exchanged.

“We are close to reaching a deal on a truce,” said Mr Haniyeh, according to a statement from his office after meeting the president of the Red Cross, which handled previous hostage releases.

It comes after John Kirby, the White House spokesman, said a deal to secure the release of some hostages from Gaza is “closer than ever before”.

Joe Biden, the US president, said he believed a deal was close, as hopes grew for talks brokered by Qatar, where Hamas has a political office and which has behind-the-scenes diplomatic links with Israel.

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