Hamas has agreed to a deal to pause the militant group’s war with Israel in Gaza, according to two officials with knowledge of the situation, fueling optimism that a long-awaited breakthrough in negotiations could be close.

RAFAH, Egypt (AP) — Hamas said Monday it has accepted a new proposal from Arab mediators for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that would still need Israel’s approval, as Gaza’s Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll from 22 months of war has passed 62,000.

Hamas' meetings with Egyptian officials will focus on ways to stop the war, deliver aid, and "end the suffering of our people in Gaza," Hamas official Taher al-Nono said in a statement.

As Israel expands operations in the enclave, Gazans increasingly voice defiance against Hamas, with dissenters risking their lives to demand freedom from the group’s grip.

President Trump said Monday that Hamas cannot be allowed to stay in the Gaza Strip due to the horrors of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack — as he weighs the risks of Israel’s looming invasion

"The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be," US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social. US President Donald Trump said that the remaining Gaza hostages will only be returned when "Hamas is confronted and destroyed" in a post to Truth Social on Monday.

President Donald Trump said the remaining hostages will only return once Hamas is "confronted and destroyed" as Israel plans to expand its Gaza offensive.

Efforts by mediators Egypt and Qatar, along with the United States, have so far failed to secure a lasting ceasefire in the ongoing war.