Negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza War have taken small steps forward.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved further talks with Hamas and consulted with US President Joe Biden.
The Palestinian extremist group submitted a counteroffer in the negotiations via mediating Egypt and Qatar on Wednesday.
We have presented certain demands that make it possible to achieve a complete ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, said Basem Naim, a member of the political leadership in Hamas' so-called politburo, to American CNN.
And the counteroffer is being well received.
A significant breakthrough, says a person in Israel's negotiating delegation according to several news agencies, and adds that "there is a real chance" that the proposal can at least partially become a reality.
The source notes, however, that much work remains and that an agreement is unlikely to be reached in a few days.
Biden optimistic
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also views the counteroffer positively and has given the green light to Mossad chief David Barnea for further talks. The latter left Israel for Doha, where talks have previously been held, on Thursday evening.
The optimism is shared by the US. President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Netanyahu and said, according to the White House:
"The President welcomes the Prime Minister's decision to approve that his delegation, together with American, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators, will try to find a solution."
Netanyahu is said to have emphasized in his conversation with Biden that the war can only be ended if Israel achieves all its goals, namely that the hostages are released, that Hamas is eliminated, and that Gaza is ensured to never again pose a threat to Israel.
Weeks of negotiations
Since reports of Netanyahu's response spread in Israeli media, Hamas' spokesperson in Lebanon, Ahmad Abdel-Hadi, has stated in a statement that the group's counteroffer is a "feeler" that "shows flexibility" rather than a final offer, reports The Times of Israel.
What has been presented as Hamas' proposal is a response to a proposal that Israel recently submitted. These follow several weeks of negotiations based on the US-formulated proposal for a ceasefire that the UN Security Council adopted as a resolution on June 10.
Neither party has accepted the resolution unconditionally, which is why the negotiations have continued.
