Hamas, along with two other Palestinian groups, announced on Saturday that the prospect of a ceasefire agreement with Israel is "closer than ever," contingent upon the cessation of new conditions imposed by Israel.

Indirect negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States took place in Doha last week, renewing optimism for a potential agreement. In a rare joint statement issued following discussions in Cairo on Friday, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine emphasized, "The possibility of reaching an agreement (for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal) is closer than ever, provided the enemy stops imposing new conditions,"

A Hamas leader shared with AFP that recent talks have yielded "significant and important progress." He noted, on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, that "Most points related to the ceasefire and prisoner exchange issues have been agreed upon.”

"Some unresolved points remain, but they do not hinder the process. The agreement could be finalised before the end of this year, provided it is not disrupted by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's new conditions." He stated that if an agreement is reached, it will be implemented in phases, culminating in a significant prisoner exchange deal, a permanent ceasefire, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his optimism about a potential deal but refrained from predicting when it would actually come to fruition.