Building on those comments we’ve just reported from unnamed US officials - President Joe Biden has just said a deal that would see Hamas release some of its hostages from Gaza is now “very close”, writes BBC.

“We’ve been working on this intensively for weeks as you all know”, he told reporters in Washington. “My team has been in the region shuttling between capitals”.

He added: “We are now very close, very close”. Biden went on to say: “We could bring some of these hostages very soon”. He cautioned that “nothing is done until it’s done”, but reiterated that “things are looking good at the moment”.