Israeli negotiators express a "cautious optimism" about approaching an agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza, according to the office of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This week, talks about a ceasefire have been held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, which were concluded on Friday. Terror-listed Hamas has not directly participated in the talks so far, and has rejected what it considers "new conditions" from Israel for a ceasefire.
Israel claims that it hopes to approach an agreement based on a proposal presented by the mediator, the USA, this week.
"There is hope that the strong pressure on Hamas from the USA and the mediators will lead to their resistance to the American proposal disappearing, which could potentially enable a breakthrough in the negotiations," the office states in a statement.
The idea that an agreement on a ceasefire is near is dismissed by Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri.
Saying that we are approaching an agreement is an illusion, he tells the AFP news agency.
