Gaza truce talks are under way in Paris in what appears to be the most serious push for weeks to halt the fighting in the battered Palestinian enclave and see Israeli and foreign hostages released, Reuters reports.

A source briefed on the ceasefire talks, who could not be identified by name or nationality, said talks had begun with Israel’s head of Mossad intelligence service meeting separately with each party — Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

“There are budding signs of optimism about being able to move forward toward the start of a serious negotiation,” the source said. Egypt’s Al Qahera TV News also reported that the talks had begun.