An Israeli official said some progress had been made in the hostage talks in Cairo, and negotiations were expected to intensify significantly in the coming days.

The “Times of Israel” newspaper said, “The talks in Cairo are being held amid growing Israeli frustration with Qatar’s effectiveness as a mediator and its willingness to pressure Hamas.”

The official indicated in an interview with the newspaper that ‘the continuation of the talks is likely to affect the decisions taken regarding the Israeli army’s operation in Rafah,’ stressing that ‘the two files are linked to each other… For us, the hostages are the highest priority,’ as reported by ‘Russia Today.’

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon