Three officials acknowledged progress has been made and said the coming days would be critical for ending more than 15 months of fighting that has destabilized the Middle East.

Israel will send the chief of its Mossad intelligence agency to Qatar to continue talks over a potential ceasefire-for-hostages deal in Gaza, in a possible sign the negotiations may be advancing.

US and Arab mediators have made significant strides overnight in efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and facilitate the release of hostages in Gaza, though a final agreement has yet to be reached,