During a demonstration of bereaved families on behalf of the "Hope Forum," Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, demanded that Netanyahu: "Take Rafah now" and not "Give in to a losing deal."

The Prime Minister also said that if anyone on the hostage negotiation teams can't bring themselves to heed the instructions of the government and instead leak to the press - "they should do the right thing and not be here."

Lapid told Blinken that "all Israeli citizens are united round the call to return the hostages."

Regarding a possible hostage deal, the Defense Minister said "there's another side that needs to agree."

According to the White House, Biden called for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire to stabilize the situation for Gazan civilians.

Halevi said the IDF was constantly making progress: "Another battalion dismantled, another commander killed, more destroyed infrastructure - this is the way to bring about pressure which ultimately frees the hostages."

The Defense Minister made the irregular request on the grounds that the leaks "serve Hamas."

The Prime Minister's Office announced that an Israeli delegation, headed by Mossad Director Dedi Barnea, would meet with the CIA Director, Qatari Prime Minister, and the Egyptian Intelligence Director with the aim of advancing a hostage deal.

According to Israeli sources, there is no real progress being made in negotiations for a hostage deal.

Israel decided not to send a delegation to Cairo to continue the talks regarding the hostage deal after Hamas sent a reply to Qatar that did not include reference to the list of hostages

Israel and Hamas are eager to reach an agreement before the month of Ramadan, but it appears on the way out. Hamas has labeled it as a "Zionist document," while Biden hopes a deal can still be struck.

Qatari officials responded to reports of progress in negotiations for a hostage deal by saying that there was no breakthrough to report.

In an interview he gave to Kikar Hashabbat, Shas leader Aryeh Deri said that the current unity government may not be sustainable for long.

Tzvi Yehezkeli, head of Channel 13's Arab Affairs desk, says that "we are before a victory here."

Reuters reports that Qatar will be hosting a summit later this week in order to advance a ceasefire in Gaza and free the hostages.

The Prime Minister addressed the question of ongoing negotiations for a hostage deal, saying that this will only happen when Hamas lets go of its demand of a complete cessation of the war.

Netanyahu clarified to families of hostages that "no new offer has been made."

The Defense Minister said that Israel has experienced a reversal in its thinking about Hamas: "Hamas is vulnerable, Hamas is penetrable...the public understands they have someone they can trust."

With increasing fear of an IDF ground assault on Rafah, Egypt has warned Hamas it has two weeks to make a deal before the IDF moves in.