Deal for release of hostages close, but not yet final: US official

Hamas and Israel are close to agreeing a deal that would include the militant group releasing 50 hostages, mostly women and children, in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners and a pause of four or five days, a U.S. official said on Tuesday.

There is a tentative deal but it is not final until everything is agreed upon, the official said.

"We believe we are very, very close to having a deal," the official told Reuters. "There is still a lot of work to be done, still approval that has to be achieved. But we believe we are very close."