US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted an American "bridging proposal" for a Gaza ceasefire deal.
"It is now up to Hamas to agree," said Blinken.
The two met in Tel Aviv as PM Netanyahu described the talks as "positive," during which his office again affirmed Israel's commitment to an American proposal for release of hostages again considering Israel's security needs.
Earlier, Blinken had warned this might be the "last opportunity" to secure a ceasefire agreement.
The US hopes to finalise the deal by next week, but that is not a view shared by Israeli leadership or Hamas. Each group blames the other for being obstructive.
A Hebrew media report later quoted Netanyahu's aides, however, as saying the Prime Minsiter anticipates any agreement reached will fall apart within weeks.
Blinken had stressed the fact that "fierce urgency" was required to have a serious breakthrough toward a truce and hostage release deal, saying, "We're never giving up," and warned of a protracted process which might lead to the further death of hostages and other stumbling blocks.
Members of the body stated that Netanyahu would now send an Israeli delegation to Cairo later in the week to meet with Egyptian, Qatari, and US mediators.
Meanwhile, there is a deepening crisis in Gaza as the humanitarian situation escalates with every passing moment of Israeli military activity.
Israel said its forces had "eliminated dozens of militants" and that Hamas compounds and tunnels had been destroyed.
Six Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike near Khan Younis, and four were killed in Gaza City, reported Palestinian health ministry.
The fighting started on October 7 after Hamas launched a major attack on southern Israel, which resulted in about 1200 confirmed deaths and 251 hostages.
Since then, over 40,130 people in Gaza have reportedly been killed, according to the Hamas authorities.
A recent deal in November resulted in Hamas releasing 105 hostages in exchange for 240 prisoners. Israel claims that there are still 111 hostages, with 39 of them presumed dead.
Blinken said, in his statement, "This stands out as a moment of decision, decisive, probably the best, maybe the last opportunity to get the hostages home, to get a ceasefire."
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