Three officials acknowledged progress has been made and said the coming days would be critical for ending more than 15 months of fighting that has destabilized the Middle East.

Mediator Qatar has handed Israel and Hamas a "final" draft of a ceasefire and hostage release agreement designed to end the war in Gaza, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters on Monday.

Israel says Hamas has not provided any information about the status of those 34 hostages, dampening any notion that the endorsement is a step toward a deal to stop the war.

Israel and Hamas are once again struggling to reach a ceasefire that could wind down the 15-month war in Gaza and bring home dozens of Israelis held hostage.

Israeli and Hamas negotiators will now take a proposed deal back to their leaders for final approval, the person said.

Qatar has presented a final ceasefire and hostage release agreement to Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza. This came after extensive negotiations involving Israeli, U.S., and Qatari officials. President Joe Biden has urged immediate action for a ceasefire and return of hostages.

The protest comes on the same day that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was sending the director of the Mossad foreign intelligence agency to ceasefire talks in Doha.View on euronews

We are close to announcing an agreement and a prisoner exchange,” said a source claiming to be familiar with the negotiations, “but this hinges on Israel’s awaited response.

Gaza Hamas has softened its stance on some of its core conditions for a ceasefire with Israel in Gaza, following an intensified push by mediators to reach a deal, sources close to the negotiations told The National on Saturday.