Hamas and Israel staked out their positions Wednesday ahead of expected talks on a Washington-backed ceasefire proposal, with the militant group suggesting it was open to an agreement while the Israeli prime minister vowed that "there will be no Hamas" in postwar Gaza.

Israel confirmed that it agreed to a ceasefire proposal by President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, a day after Trump said the country had “agreed to the necessary conditions” for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza.

CAIRO (AP) — Hamas suggested Wednesday that it was open to a ceasefire agreement with Israel, but stopped short of accepting a U.S.-backed proposal announced by President Donald Trump hours earlier, insisting on its longstanding position that any deal bring an end to the war in Gaza.