Washington believes there is a “pretty significant opening” in ongoing ceasefire-for-captives talks between Israel and Hamas, AFP reports, citing an anonymous senior US official.

The official said the Hamas proposal, tabled earlier this week, “moves the process forward and may provide the basis for closing the deal”. The official added, however, that “significant work” remains and a deal is not likely in the coming days.

The deal currently being discussed is a three-phase proposition, supposedly tabled by Israel but made public by US President Joe Biden in May.

One major sticking point has been Hamas’s demand for Israel to commit to a permanent end to the fighting, while senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have said the offensive won’t end until Hamas is dismantled.