US President Joe Biden spoke on Friday with Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar.
According to the White House, the two “discussed the urgent need for all hostages held by Hamas to be released without further delay.”
“The leaders also discussed ongoing efforts to increase the flow of urgently needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza and Israel’s decision to resume fuel deliveries for life-saving aid,” the White House statement continued.
“The leaders agreed to remain in close touch, including through their teams, on these matters,” the statement concluded.
Qatar has been mediating efforts to reach an agreement whereby Hamas will release some of the hostages it is holding in exchange for a ceasefire which would last several days.
On Wednesday, Reuters reported that the deal being brokered by Qatar would see Hamas free 50 of the hostages it is holding in exchange for a three-day pause in Israel's military operations in Gaza.
According to the report, the deal, which the US is also involved in, would include the release of women and minors arrested for terrorist activity from Israeli prisons - and an increase in the amount of humanitarian aid that is brought into Gaza.
On Friday, Ynet reported that Israel had informed the Qatari mediators that it rejects the current, which includes the release of 50 hostages from Hamas captivity - without any classification or criteria.
Israel insists that families who are in captivity not be separated, and that all children and mothers be released from captivity in Gaza, according to the report.
Israel has expressed a willingness to be flexible regarding the duration of the ceasefire in order to allow the release of more hostages, and is ready for a deal in which at least 70 to 80 hostages will be freed.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)