JERUSALEM, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday instructed a senior delegation to depart to the Qatari capital Doha to continue advancing a deal with Hamas to release the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said the directive followed a situation assessment Netanyahu held Saturday evening with Defense Minister Israel Katz and U.S. negotiators from "both the outgoing and incoming administrations."

The Israeli delegation includes David Barnea, head of the Israeli Mossad intelligence agency, and Ronen Bar, chief of the Shin Bet internal security service.

Israel and Hamas have been engaged in a deadly conflict after Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostages.

Indirect peace talks between Israel and Hamas have been on and off in the past months, with Qatar, Egypt, and the United States as the main mediators.

In recent weeks, the indirect negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner swap deal have gained momentum. Enditem

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