Israel and Hamas are moving toward a cease-fire agreement following a shift in the balance of power after Israel’s 12-day war with Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington Monday to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for a ceasefire that might lead to an end to the 21-month war in Gaza. Israel and Hamas are considering a new U.

Trump's meetings with the Israeli leader have brought no apparent breakthrough for a ceasefire in Gaza, where the bloodshed continues unabated.

Hamas said it had responded on in "a positive spirit" to a U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire proposal and was prepared to enter into talks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trip to Washington this week netted President Donald Trump another nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize he covets, but the ceasefire the U.S. leader sought for the war in Gaza didn't emerge.

Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to comment on Trump's announcement, and in their public statements the two sides remain far apart.

The rise of Izz al-Din al-Haddad in the chain of command suggests the group will hold firm to its position demanding a total end to the war before releasing all remaining hostages.

Hamas says it has given a “positive” response to the latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza but says further talks are needed on implementation.

"Today, we reached an agreement with Israel to expand humanitarian access to Gaza," European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X. "This deal means more crossings open, aid and food trucks entering Gaza, repair of vital infrastructure and protection of aid workers. We count on Israel to implement every measure agreed," Kallas added.