Qatar has sent Israel "a positive message" regarding Hamas's intentions to move forward in negotiations on a hostage and ceasefire deal, according to a Friday report from Israeli public broadcaster KAN.The "positive message" in question reportedly concerns the list of hostages that would be released, as well as other points of disagreement between the two sides.This is a developing story.

The Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, has instructed the military to present him with "a plan for the complete defeat of Hamas in Gaza" as soon as possible. His office said on Friday that Katz believes Hamas must be completely crushed if the hostages it abducted from Israel are not released by the time US President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

While Witkoff says progress made in Doha, Hamas stands by demand for permanent end to war, which Israel rejects; president-elect: 'It won't be good for anyone' if no deal by Jan. 20 The post Trump’s Mideast envoy to visit Qatar,

An Israeli delegation is expected to arrive in Qatar on Friday to continue negotiations on a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza, a source with knowledge of the talks told CNN on Friday.

Israel says Hamas has not provided any information about the status of those 34 hostages, dampening any notion that the endorsement is a step toward a deal to stop the war.

The post has sparked outrage among Palestinians and Arab countries, who have called on the international community to curb Israel’s expansionist ambitions and prevent further attempts to occupy Palestinian and Arab territories.

Israel said Monday that Hamas had yet to clarify whether 34 hostages it said it was ready to free were dead or alive, throwing doubt on the group's assertion that it needed time to ascertain their fate.

Palestinian officials say the war in Gaza has killed more than 46,000 people, as some on both sides of the conflict hope for "help from Donald Trump."

Donald Trump should remove the major non-NATO ally status from undeserving nations such as Qatar and Pakistan.