US President Joe Biden said on Friday that the parties involved in the Gaza negotiations are closer to reaching a ceasefire agreement in the Strip, but have not yet achieved that.

Biden told reporters at the White House that an agreement was closer than it was three days ago.

"We have not yet reached an agreement, but reaching a settlement is closer than it was three days ago," Biden said on the sidelines of his White House office.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt announced on Friday that they had presented a new proposal during the two-day Doha talks that "bridges the gaps" between Israel and Hamas, which rejected it.

A joint statement issued by the three countries said that negotiations will resume next week in Cairo, at a time when diplomatic pressures continue to avoid the expansion of the war regionally after the escalation of tensions in recent weeks between Iran and Hezbollah with Israel.

“Over the past 48 hours in Doha, senior officials from our governments have been engaged in intensive talks as mediators with the aim of concluding an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages and detainees. These talks were serious, constructive and conducted in a positive atmosphere,” the statement said.

The statement added that the United States of America, with the support of Qatar and Egypt, presented "to both parties a proposal that narrows the gaps between them and is consistent with the principles set by President (Joe) Biden on May 31," explaining that the proposal "bridges the remaining gaps in a way that allows for the rapid implementation of the agreement."

The joint statement by the mediators said that "the working groups will continue technical work in the coming days on implementation details, including arrangements for implementing the agreements, comprehensive humanitarian provisions, as well as details related to hostages and detainees."

Hamas, for its part, said it would only agree to a deal that would lead to a permanent ceasefire, a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a "serious" prisoner exchange.

Speaking to Qatar's Al Jazeera satellite channel, Hamas official Osama Hamdan reiterated the group's position earlier on Friday and accused Israel of undermining the talks.

"It is clear that the gaps from the Israeli side are that they are adding more conditions; they are talking about more issues," Hamdan said.

He announced that the negotiators will meet "again in Cairo before the end of next week, hoping to reach an agreement according to the terms presented today."

The statement comes amid heightened diplomatic efforts following threats by Iran and Hezbollah to attack Israel in response to Israel's assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, and hours after Israel's assassination of Hezbollah's top military commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut's southern suburbs.