President Biden said he has been “deeply involved” in ongoing negotiations to release hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza and is “mildly hopeful” that a deal can be reached. Hamas has agreed in principle to a tentative deal to free some hostages, and Israel is weighing its response, The Washington Post reported. Israel said its operations are still “ongoing” Thursday inside al-Shifa Hospital, after troops entered the Gaza City hospital late Tuesday. The Post could not independently verify the situation, with calls to doctors at the hospital going unanswered. The hospital complex was housing about 700 patients and 3,000 displaced people when the raid began, according to U.N. figures.
