US says there is 'progress' in Gaza ceasefire talks

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Thursday that there is "progress" in talks on a cease-fire and prisoner exchange in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.

"We see progress. We see the possibility of reaching an agreement. Obviously we can't guarantee that because there are a lot of details to be worked out," Sullivan told reporters.

"Our teams in the region as we speak, working on many of those details, we think the remaining issues can be resolved, should be resolved," he said, adding that the signs are "more positive today" than they have been in months. "President Biden will address this later today," he added.

The US, Qatar and Egypt are leading efforts to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas that would guarantee a prisoner exchange and a cease-fire on both sides.

A quadrilateral meeting was held Wednesday in Doha with CIA Director Bill Burns, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, and David Barnea, head of Israel's Mossad.

An Israeli negotiating team returned to Israel from Qatar on Wednesday after attending the meeting.

For months, efforts by the US, Qatar and Egypt to broker a deal on a hostage exchange and cease-fire have been stymied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of Hamas' request to end hostilities.