Negotiations to free hostages seized in Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel are at their "closest point" to a deal and have reached the "final stage", mediator Qatar said on Tuesday. 

"We are at the closest point we ever had been in reaching an agreement," foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said, adding negotiations have reached a "critical and final stage".

Hamas officials were "close to reaching a truce agreement" with Israel, and the group has delivered its response to Qatari mediators, the chief of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh said on Tuesday.

(With input from AFP)