Significant progress in talks for a hostage release deal has been reached, according to a report in the Qatari Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper on Sunday.

“Today is a decisive day for the fate of the negotiations between Hamas and Israel,” a Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations told the outlet.

“The mediators have succeeded in bridging the gaps between the two sides and are waiting for a response from the Israeli government tonight.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is scheduled to hold a security assessment on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. with Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, the head of the security establishment,  Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, and Ministers Gideon Sa’ar, Itamar Ben Gvir, and Betzalel Smotrich.

The details of the meeting have not been clarified. Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office claim that the meeting is not about a potential hostage deal.

However, Ynet reported that Mossad Chief Dedi Barnea is scheduled to fly to Doha on Monday.

A Biden administration delegation headed by Middle East envoy Brett McGurk is already in Qatar, which according to the report, “indicates the importance that the Biden administration attaches to the meetings and the efforts to reach a deal before Donald Trump takes office on January 20th.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)