On Sunday, President Joe Biden engaged in discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as U.S. officials strive to finalize a hostage release and cease-fire agreement in Gaza before Biden’s term concludes on January 20.

The conversation focused on ongoing efforts to stop the conflict in the Palestinian territory and secure the release of 98 hostages still being held there, confirmed the White House.

Netanyahu provided Biden with updates regarding progress and outlined the directive he has given to his high-level security team currently in Doha to further the hostage negotiations, according to a statement from Netanyahu.

Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security advisor, informed CNN’s “State of the Union” that the involved parties are “very, very close” to reaching an agreement, though they still need to finalize it.

Sullivan also noted that Biden is receiving daily updates on the meetings in Doha, where both Israeli and Palestinian representatives have indicated that some progress has been made in their indirect discussions with Hamas since Thursday.

“We remain committed to utilizing every day we have left in office to accomplish this,” Sullivan asserted, “and we’re not at all giving up on it.”

He emphasized there remains a possibility of reaching an agreement before Biden’s term ends, but also acknowledged the potential stubbornness of Hamas in these negotiations.

Israel’s military actions in Gaza began after Hamas fighters breached its borders in October 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of over 250 hostages, as reported by Israeli sources.

Following the turmoil, Palestinian health authorities report that over 46,000 people have died in Gaza, with much of the region devastated and facing a humanitarian crisis, leading to widespread displacement.

Vice President-elect JD Vance mentioned in an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” conducted Saturday, that he anticipates a deal for the release of U.S. hostages in the Middle East might be unveiled in the final days of the Biden administration, potentially just before it wraps up.

President-elect Donald Trump, a strong advocate for Israel, has firmly supported Netanyahu’s objective of eradicating Hamas and has vowed to foster peace in the Middle East, although he has not detailed his approach for achieving that goal.