Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Pope Leo XIV in a Friday phone call that Israel is in advanced stages of negotiations for the release of hostages, N12 reported.
The phone call came a day after an Israeli strike on Gaza's sole Catholic church killed three people and wounded several others.
During the call, the pope renewed his appeal for a ceasefire and an end to the war in Gaza, and expressed his concern over the "dramatic" humanitarian situation in the Strip, a Vatican statement said.
Leo XIV also stressed the urgent need to protect places of worship, the faithful, and all people in the Palestinian territories and Israel, the statement added.
Netanyahu told the pope that Israel is close to a hostage agreement, according to the Israeli news site.
The Israeli news site also reported optimism surrounding the hostage deal, noting that talks in Qatar are advancing steadily.
Israel shows flexibility at the negotiating table
Earlier this week, during negotiations, Israel effectively conceded control over the Morag Corridor, based on the maps it presented to hostage negotiation mediators, two sources familiar with the details told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said that negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza were going well.
Earlier, a meeting was held between the Israeli delegation and the Qatari and Egyptian delegations, during which Israel presented new maps reflecting additional flexibility on its part.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.