Hamas leader Haniyeh says Gaza truce deal with Israel close

Pause in fighting would allow much-needed aid into the besieged Gaza Strip

Smoke ammunition fired by Israeli troops near the border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel. AFP

Israeli soldiers react during the funeral of Capt Liron Snir at the Mount Herzl military cemetery, Jerusalem. Reuters

Egyptian paramedics transport a Palestinian child arriving from Gaza to an ambulance at the Rafah border crossing. AFP

An Israeli tank appears through a soldier's night vision scope near the Gaza Strip in southern Israel. Getty Images

A Palestinian mother holds her newborn in a maternity hospital in Rafah, after he was evacuated from Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city. Reuters

Israeli artillery train its guns towards the Gaza Strip in Southern Israel. Getty Images

A family watch news updates on the Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners swap deal, near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Reuters

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A wounded Palestinian child is carried into Nasser Hospital following an Israeli bombardment on Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. AP

An Israeli soldier takes position behind a wall in Gaza, as Israel's war against Hamas continues. Reuters

Palestinians mourn their relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at a hospital in Khan Younis. AP

People receive bags of flour at a distribution centre of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), in the Rafah refugee camp. AFP

Israel's military transports Palestinian detainees from the Gaza Strip, near Israel's border with Gaza, in southern Israel. Reuters

Palestinians amongst the rubble of a building destroyed by an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis, Gaza. Bloomberg

Thomas Hand, father of Emily Hand, during a press conference by family members of hostages in Gaza, at the Israeli embassy, London. Getty Images

A man consoles a young Palestinian girl at Nasser Medical Hospital, Khan Yunis, Gaza. Getty Images

A mother covers her daughter as a siren signals incoming rockets launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, in Tel Aviv. Reuters

Palestinian medics care for babies evacuated from Al Shifa Hospital to the Emirates Hospital in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP

A child collects firewood in a camp provided by the UN for displaced Palestinians who lost their homes in Israeli raids, in Khan Yunis. EPA

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Palestinians flee the Zeitoun district, southern Gaza Strip, as battles between Israel and Hamas continue. AFP

Thousands gathered at the State Library for the weekly protest in support of Palestinians in Melbourne, Australia. Paul Stafford / The National

Palestinian rescuers evacuate an injured woman following an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis refugee camp. AP

A rally to call for a ceasefire held at Dorchester Square in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. AFP

Palestinians flee to the southern Gaza Strip along Salah al-Din Street, during the ongoing Israeli bombardment. AP

Palestinians check taxis that were hit by the Israeli military along Salah al-Din Street, on the outskirts of Gaza city. AP

Thousands of Palestinians flee to the southern Gaza Strip along Salah al-Din Street. AP

Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip amid the continuing ground operation against Hamas. Reuters

Palestinians search for survivors in the rubble of a building following Israeli bombardment in Khan Yunis. AFP

Palestinians injured in air strikes arrive at Nasser Medical Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza. Getty Images

Palestinians collect books from the rubble of a cultural centre following an Israeli strike in Rafah. AFP

Notices dropped by the Israeli military over Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip calling for those remaining to leave the area. AFP

A man walks among debris at the site of an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Reuters

Israeli flags on the top of destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip. AP

Palestinians line to collect water in Rafah on Saturday, November 18. AP

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Hamas is close to an agreement with Israel on a temporary truce allowing entry of aid into the Gaza Strip and a swap of hostages and prisoners between the two sides, the group's leader said on Tuesday.

The two sides were "close to reaching a truce agreement", Ismail Haniyeh told Reuters.

Hamas official Izzat El Reshiq told Al Jazeera TV on Tuesday that talks were already under way.

"The expected agreement will include the release of Israeli women and children hostages in exchange for release of Palestinian children and women in the occupation's prisons," Mr El Reshiq said.

The details of the truce will be announced by Qatari officials, he said.

There were no more details about the terms of the potential agreement.

The statement comes after 17 Palestinians were killed in Israeli bombardment of Nuseirat camp in Gaza at midnight, the Palestinian official news agency Wafa said early on Tuesday.

Fighting continued across Gaza, with the biggest clashes coming in the north of the enclave on Tuesday morning, witnesses told The National.

Air raid sirens could be heard around Abu Yousef Al Najar hospital in the south, while heavy air strikes hit areas near the Jabalia refugee camp and the city of Biet Lahya in the north.

About 130 injured people, most of them women and children, and around 70 dead bodies were received at the Shuhdaa Alaqsa hospital in Dier Al Balah, a hospital representative said.

Israeli tanks were still surrounding the Indonesian Hospital on Tuesday morning, the Gaza Health Ministry said on Tuesday morning. The hospital was using cooking oil to run its generator, it said.

On Monday, US President Joe Biden said he believed a truce agreement was near.

"We're closer now than we've been before," White House spokesman John Kirby said.

Hamas took about 240 hostages during its October 7 rampage into Israel that killed about 1,200 people.

Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), met Mr Haniyeh in Qatar on Monday to "advance humanitarian issues" related to the conflict, the Geneva-based ICRC said. She also met separately with Qatari authorities.

The ICRC said it was not part of negotiations aimed at releasing the hostages, but as a neutral intermediary it was ready "to facilitate any future release that the parties agree to".

Qatari mediators had been seeking a deal for Hamas and Israel to exchange 50 hostages in return for a three-day ceasefire that would boost emergency aid shipments to Gaza civilians, Reuters said.