Sa'ar speaks of "positive indications" of a deal on Gaza.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced on Wednesday that there were what he called "positive indications" regarding the possibility of reaching a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

This came in statements made by Sa'ar during a press conference with his Estonian counterpart, Margus Tsakna, in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, according to the Hebrew news website Walla.

Sa'ar claimed: "We are serious about our intention to reach a deal to release the kidnapped soldiers and a ceasefire in Gaza."

Hamas has repeatedly declared its willingness to release Israeli prisoners "in bulk" in exchange for an end to the genocide and the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, is evading the agreement by proposing new conditions, and is only seeking partial deals that will ensure the continuation of the war.

The Israeli opposition asserts that Netanyahu is continuing the war in deference to the more extreme right-wing faction within his government, to advance his personal political interests, particularly his continued hold on power.

Regarding the possibility of reaching a deal, Sa'ar added: "There are certain positive indicators (which he did not specify), and our goal is to begin indirect talks as soon as possible."

On Wednesday, Hamas announced in a statement that it was consulting on proposals it had received from mediators to reach an agreement that would guarantee an end to the war, Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, and relief for the Palestinians.

This came a day after the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, citing two unnamed diplomatic sources, announced that Qatar had presented Israel with a new prisoner exchange proposal that includes a 60-day ceasefire.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are 50 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive. Meanwhile, more than 10,400 Palestinians languish in its prisons, suffering from torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have died, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

The organization also quoted unnamed informed sources as saying, "There is a strong possibility of reaching a deal, but there are still disagreements, including the terms for ending the war and the extent of the Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza."

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump claimed that Israel had accepted the "necessary conditions" for a 60-day ceasefire, expressing hope that Hamas would also agree.

With American support, Israel has been waging a genocidal war in Gaza since October 7, 2023, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt the operation.

The genocide left more than 191,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing. Hundreds of thousands were displaced, and famine claimed the lives of many, including children.