A senior Hamas official told AFP the terror group had told Egyptian officials it was ready to stop fighting in Gaza if Israel committed to a ceasefire deal.

The official said the Hamas delegation discussed “ideas and proposals” regarding a Gaza ceasefire with Egyptian officials in Cairo earlier Thursday.

The Hamas-run Al Aqsa TV network cited sources as saying that the delegation in Cairo, with chief negotiator and deputy leader of Hamas in Gaza Khalil Al Hayya, met with the head of Egypt’s general intelligence agency, Hassan Mahmoud Rashan.

“Hamas has expressed its readiness to stop fighting, but Israel must commit to a ceasefire, withdraw from the Gaza Strip, allow the return of displaced persons, agree to a serious prisoner exchange deal and allow the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” the official noted, adding that the talks in Cairo were part of Egypt’s ongoing efforts to restart ceasefire negotiations.

Egypt and Qatar acted as mediators between Israel and Hamas in months-long talks to end the conflict that broke down in August without an agreement.

The news comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Egypt’s willingness to push through a deal to free hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Earlier today, top diplomats from Qatar and Washington said that US and Israeli negotiators would gather in Doha in the coming days to try to restart talks on a ceasefire deal and the release of hostages in Gaza.