Hamas and two other Palestinian groups said on Saturday that a Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel is "closer than ever", provided that Israel does not impose new conditions, AFP reported on Saturday.

"Some unresolved points remain, but they do not hinder the process. The agreement could be finalized before the end of this year, provided it is not disrupted by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's new conditions," it added.

If an agreement is reached it will be implemented in phases, ending with "a serious prisoner exchange deal, a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal (of Israeli forces) from Gaza," AFP quoted a Hamas official as saying.

The source added that the talks had made "significant and important progress" in recent days.

Earlier, a Hamas official had announced in an interview with The New Arab that talks to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and resolve most points of dispute would continue.

Meanwhile, in an interview with the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, an Egyptian official said that the position of  Netanyahu regarding the ceasefire in Gaza is now softer than ever.

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