Israel and Hamas appeared on Wednesday to be close to a ceasefire that would end 15 months of devastating fighting in the Gaza Strip, even as Israeli forces continued airstrikes on the enclave and families of Israeli hostages pleaded for their safe return.

The U.S., Egyptian and Qatari delegations have been trying for 15 months to secure a truce to end the fighting, and officials familiar with the negotiations in the Qatari capital, Doha, say a truce is close to being completed.

On Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said a majority within Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government would support a "progressive deal" being negotiated.

Earlier in the day, a senior Israeli official detailed the current plan, which includes a 42-day first phase in which 33 hostages, most of whom are believed to be alive, will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. Thrall said a "more complex" second phase will follow.

He added that the IDF would also withdraw from central Gaza to the Israeli border, but only if the hostages were released.

The fighting in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant organization Hamas launched a terrorist attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people. Israel has launched air and ground attacks on Gaza, killing more than 46,000 people, according to local officials.

President Joe Biden said this week that a deal to end the war was "very close." Washington hopes to reach a deal before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Monday.

Until then, however, violence continues. Israeli air strikes in Gaza late Tuesday killed at least 17 people, according to the enclave's health ministry. Another Israeli attack on Jenin in the occupied West Bank killed at least six people, the Defense Ministry said.

The Israeli military said in a statement that it "struck more than 50 terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip, including terrorist organizations, weapons storage facilities, underground infrastructure, anti-tank fire positions and Hamas military buildings."

In addition to Palestinians desperate for an end to the bombing, Israelis have been pleading with the government for months to bring home relatives kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. They are often fiercely critical of Netanyahu, whom he accuses of prioritizing war and keeping his fractious right-wing coalition government united for the safety of their loved ones.

As they have throughout the conflict, thousands of people gathered on Tuesday night in a Tel Aviv square that has been dubbed "Hostage Square" in recent months. Among them was Moran Stela Yanai, who was kidnapped from the Supernova music festival on October 7 and held captive for 54 days.

"I make a simple and urgent request to the international community: help us bring the hostages home," she said, according to a statement from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

"This isn't about politics, it's about humanity and a shared belief that no one should be left in the dark," she added. “They are children, parents, brothers and sisters — people with dreams, hopes, and loved ones longing to return.”