The United States State Department reported on Saturday that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Occupation President Isaac Herzog discussed in Munich the ongoing efforts to secure the release of captives in Gaza.

The US State Department added that Blinken and Herzog discussed achieving a humanitarian truce to facilitate the flow of aid to Gaza.

"We’re thinking, as we always do, about Israel’s security both today but also for every day, for the long term. We’re thinking of the suffering of people caught up in the middle of conflict, including the Palestinian men, women, and children in Gaza. We’re thinking as well of the genuine opportunities that lie before us for a better, more secure future for Israelis, Palestinians, and all of our friends in the region," said Blinken 

Earlier, a senior source in Hamas stated that the movement intends to suspend negotiations regarding the exchange deal until aid and relief are delivered to the northern Gaza Strip.

The Hamas leader, in remarks reported by Al Jazeera on Saturday evening, emphasized that negotiations cannot proceed while hunger afflicts the Palestinian people.