The Israeli Mossad stated in a statement that Qatar and Egypt have delivered Hamas' updated response today, Wednesday, to the Israeli proposal regarding a hostage agreement and a ceasefire in Gaza.

Two senior Israeli officials told Axios that Hamas' updated response was constructive and opens the door for more detailed negotiations that could lead to an agreement.

Axios reported over the weekend that the Biden administration provided new language for parts of the proposed hostage and ceasefire deal in an attempt to bridge the remaining gaps and reach an agreement.

The American efforts were based on an Israeli proposal approved by the Israeli war cabinet and presented by President Biden in a speech he delivered in late May.

The Biden administration is pushing for a three-phase agreement that would lead to the release of 120 remaining hostages held by Hamas and to "sustainable calm" in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 37,700 Palestinians, according to local health authorities.

The new language presented by the United States — which Qatari and Egyptian mediators were pressing Hamas strongly to accept — focused on Article 8 of the proposal.

This part of the agreement outlines the negotiations between Israel and Hamas that will begin during the implementation of the first phase of the deal.

The talks will focus on defining the exact terms for the second phase of the deal, which includes achieving "sustainable calm" in Gaza.

Hamas wants these negotiations to focus solely on the number and identity of Palestinian prisoners to be released from Israeli jails in exchange for every Israeli soldier or hostage mentioned held in Gaza.

On the other hand, Israel wants the ability to raise disarmament in Gaza and other issues during these negotiations.

A senior Israeli official said that Hamas' response was delivered to Israel on Wednesday afternoon local time.

Two Israeli officials said that the Israeli negotiating team began studying the response immediately and found it to be much better than the initial response sent by Hamas on June 12.

The officials stated that Hamas' response makes it possible to reach an agreement on Articles 8 and 14, which are the main sources of gaps between the two parties.

One Israeli official noted that "significant progress has been made, but there is still a long way to overcome serious challenges."

The official stated that even if both parties entered into detailed negotiations, they would be "difficult" and likely "take several weeks to reach an agreement."

Reaching an agreement in Gaza would be a major achievement for Biden, who has been pushing to end the violence for months and is facing immense political pressure at home after his poor performance in the debate.

A hostage and ceasefire agreement could turn the news cycle upside down and allow Biden to showcase his credentials in national security and foreign policy, which officials have long pointed to when addressing questions about his age.

The Israeli negotiating team is expected to hold discussions in the coming days with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to formulate a policy regarding Hamas' response and to decide on entering detailed negotiations in Qatar or Egypt.