'Rapid negotiations' to reach Israel-Hamas prisoner and ceasefire deal

There are “rapid negotiations” to reach a ceasefire agreement and a prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israel through a Qatari mediation, Qatar’s Al-Jazeera TV reported on Friday.

The Gulf state has been engaged in intense diplomacy behind the scenes and secured the release of four hostages held by the Palestinian militants following their October 7 attack on Israel.

There is "more openness on political will between the two sides" after the release of two elderly Israeli women on Monday night, a Qatari foreign ministry spokesman had told AFP on Tuesday.

Israel has been left reeling after Hamas militants stormed across the Gaza border on October 7 in a rampage that allegedly killed more than 1,400 people. The militants also snatched more than 220 hostages, taking them back to Gaza.

The attack, the worst in Israel's history, prompted a ferocious Israeli bombardment of the Palestinian territory which Gaza's health ministry says has killed over 7,300 people.

Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, and Nurit Cooper, 79, were freed by Hamas late on Monday. The release of the two Israelis comes three days after that of an American woman and her teenage daughter.

Qatar has open channels of communication with Hamas and has hosted the militants' political office since 2012 with the blessing of wealthy emirate's close ally the United States.

The Qatari foreign ministry spokesman said Hamas' bureau in Doha was communicating "effectively" with members in Gaza and the militants had expressed their willingness to release hostages regardless of their nationalities.

Qatar has provided financial aid to the Gaza Strip for years, which officials in Doha have said is coordinated with Israel, the United Nations and the United States.

On Tuesday, Qatar's emir criticized Israel's backers saying they had given it "free licence to kill" in its war with Hamas.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani also questioned what the conflict in the territory would achieve and urged an international stand against escalation in Gaza.