Israeli official visits Doha for hostage talks as Gaza invasion escalates

Israeli official visits Doha for hostage talks as Gaza invasion escalates

A high-level Israeli official has visited Doha to negotiate the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza alongside Qatari negotiators, Fox News Digital has learned.

An official briefed on the visit says talks had stalled on Friday, leading to an escalation in tensions. Israel is currently expanding its ground operations within northern Gaza.

“A high-level Israeli official, in coordination with the US, visited Doha to meet Qatari negotiators on Saturday to discuss the hostage situation and further the talks about the release of hostages," the official said.

“Talks had stalled on Friday due to disagreements on the technical aspects of a potential deal, leading to the escalation on Friday night, but talks continued on Saturday and have been ongoing following the productive visit of the Israeli official," the official added.

Hamas is believed to be holding some 239 hostages in Gaza.