The occupation speaks of a "positive development" regarding a possible exchange deal with Hamas.

The official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported on Wednesday that Israeli officials involved in indirect negotiations with Hamas are speaking of a "positive development" regarding the possibility of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange.

This comes after an unidentified Israeli official rushed earlier Wednesday to deny Hamas' announcement that it had reached a preliminary agreement with US Presidential Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on a prisoner exchange deal. The source claimed that the proposal was "unacceptable" to Tel Aviv and Washington, according to statements made to Hebrew media.

Earlier on Wednesday, Hamas announced an agreement with Witkov on a general framework for a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange, pending a final response from the mediators.

The movement said in a statement that the framework agreed upon with Witkoff "achieves a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, the flow of aid, a professional committee taking over the administration of the Strip's affairs, and the release of ten (living) Israeli prisoners and a number of bodies, in exchange for the release of an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners."

Tel Aviv estimates that there are 58 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive. Meanwhile, more than 10,100 Palestinians are languishing in its prisons, suffering torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have died, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported "an optimistic tone expressed by Israeli officials on the negotiating team, unheard of since the signing of the last deal, but it has not yet reached the level of a major breakthrough."

She added, "In recent days, intensive meetings have been held between mediators and representatives of Israel and Hamas with the aim of reaching a deal."

The agency quoted unnamed Israeli officials who it said were involved in the negotiations as saying, "The coming days are very crucial."

"There is a positive development regarding the possibility of reaching a deal," the officials added.

Meanwhile, the agency quoted unnamed foreign sources as saying, "If Israel shows flexibility regarding ending the war, the agreement will be signed tomorrow."

Hamas has repeatedly declared its willingness to release Israeli prisoners "in one batch" in exchange for an end to the war of extermination, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, is evading the situation by proposing new conditions, including the disarmament of Palestinian factions, and is currently insisting on reoccupying Gaza.

The Israeli opposition and prisoners' families accuse Netanyahu of continuing the war in deference to the more extreme right-wing faction within his government, to further his personal political interests, particularly his continued rule.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with full American support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, leaving more than 177,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, more than 11,000 missing, and hundreds of thousands displaced.