Egypt received “positive signals” from the Hamas movement regarding a ceasefire agreement with Israel in the war that has been going on between them in the Gaza Strip since October 7, according to what the Egyptian “Cairo” news channel reported. This represents a positive indicator of the possibility of reaching an agreement to end the war with Israel. Israel, despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence on eliminating the movement.

A high-ranking Egyptian official said, according to what was reported by the channel close to the authorities, “Egypt has received positive signals from the Hamas movement indicating its aspiration for a ceasefire.”

The official indicated that Hamas “will present its response regarding the truce proposal in the coming days,” stressing that Hamas leaders “are seriously and positively studying the truce proposal,” saying that “an Egyptian invitation has been sent to Hamas leaders to visit Cairo and discuss all the details related to the current situation.”< /p>

These “signals” come as the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, which assumes the mediation role, continue their efforts in an effort to persuade both sides of the conflict to reach a ceasefire, days after US President Joe Biden announced a proposal that he presented as an Israeli plan.

On Thursday, Biden and 16 of the most prominent world leaders, some of them from Europe and Latin America, urged the Hamas movement to accept the proposal presented in this regard.

A White House statement said, “There is no time to waste. We call on Hamas to complete this agreement.”

The statement was signed by prominent leaders of countries including Britain, France, Germany and Spain, which angered Israel by recognizing a Palestinian state, in addition to countries such as Brazil and Colombia, whose leftist presidents strongly condemned Israel, and Argentina, whose leader supports Israel.

The statement added, “At this crucial moment, we call on the leaders of Israel, as well as Hamas, to make any final concession necessary to conclude this agreement and provide comfort to the families of the hostages, as well as to people on both sides of this terrible conflict, including civilians,” continuing, “It is time to end the war and this agreement.” It is the necessary starting point.”

The war broke out between Israel and Hamas on October 7 after an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian movement on the Hebrew state, resulting in the killing of 1,194 people, the majority of whom were civilians, according to a census based on official Israeli data.

Israel responded with a violent campaign of bombings, raids and ground attacks that killed at least 36,654 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled enclave.

In early May, the Israeli army began launching ground operations in the city of Rafah, where 1.4 million people, most of whom were displaced, were gathered.

But this ground operation prompted one million Palestinians, according to the United Nations, to flee the city, and the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, which is essential for international aid to enter the besieged Strip, was closed.