Hamas has said talks in Qatar aimed at a truce and hostage-prisoner exchange in Gaza were “serious and positive”, a day after an Israeli delegation flew in to meet with mediators, AFP reports.

“Hamas affirms that, in light of the serious and positive discussions taking place today in Doha under the auspices of our Qatari and Egyptian brothers, reaching an agreement for a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange is possible if the occupation ceases to impose new conditions,” the Palestinian group said in a statement.

A source close to Hamas said “everything indicates that we are getting closer to an agreement, I expect before (US president-elect Donald) Trump’s inauguration” on January 20.

A source with knowledge of the negotiations said they were “focused on reaching a two- or three-stage exchange deal, starting with a humanitarian phase with the release of living Israeli civilian prisoners in exchange for Palestinian prisoners”.

That exchange would “take place at the same time as the gradual ceasefire for a period of two to four weeks, which will be extended for four weeks and so on […] in parallel with the Israeli withdrawal,” the source added.