Hamas may be more willing to agree to a ceasefire-prisoner swap deal, journalist Barak Ravid reported.
According to Ravid, a senior Israeli official said Israel has "indications" that Hamas is "willing to be more flexible on several of the sticking points in the negotiations, including the timetable for the Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egypt-Gaza border."
"Hamas is signaling that it is ready to make some compromises, but they want to see such Israeli willingness too. Hamas wants to push for a deal, but they want Israel to show more flexibility," the official told Ravid.
Israel has said that it will not give up control of the Philadelphi Corridor, due to the need to ensure no weapons are smuggled from Egypt to Hamas in Gaza. Hamas, however, has insisted that Israel must fully withdraw from all of Gaza, including the Philadelphi Corridor.
On Thursday, reports said that an Egyptian-proposed ceasefire-prisoner swap deal would include a one- to two-month ceasefire during which hostages will be released, prioritizing the elderly and the ailing.
During the ceasefire, talks will be held for a permanent deal "without military pressure in the area."
The Egyptian proposal would allow Hamas and the other terror groups in Gaza to delay the hostages' release after the start of the ceasefire, so as to allow them to provide a detailed list of which hostages are alive, and to discuss the process under which they will be released.
The proposal includes the reopening the Rafah Crossing under European and Palestinian Authority supervision, while allowing Israel to veto individuals who exit.
Under the proposed deal, Egypt will provide Israel with security guarantees to ensure that Hamas does not control the Rafah Crossing or Gaza itself in the near future.