Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told lawmakers on Monday that "some progress" had been made in negotiations to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza, more than 14 months into the war.

His comments in parliament come two days after Palestinian militant groups also talked of progress towards a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

In recent days, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States took place in Doha, rekindling hope of an agreement that has proven elusive.

"Everything we are doing cannot be disclosed. We are taking actions to bring them back. I wish to say cautiously that there has been some progress, and we will not stop acting until we bring them all home," Netanyahu said in parliament, on the same day he took the stand again at his ongoing corruption trial.

"I want to say to the families of the hostages: We are thinking of you and we will not give up on your loved ones, who are our loved ones as well."

Hostage families have questioned the sincerity of government negotiation efforts, and critics have long accused Netanyahu of stalling in truce talks, prolonging the war partly to appease his far-right coalition partners.

On Saturday, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the leftist Popular........

© Al Monitor