The foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and Italy expressed support on Saturday for mediators' efforts to reach an agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip, including a prisoner exchange deal.

"We strongly support the mediation efforts of the United States, Egypt and Qatar to conclude a ceasefire agreement and release hostages and detainees, and are encouraged by the constructive approach taken so far" during recent talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, the ministers said in a joint statement.

The ministers added: "We welcome the technical teams (from the United States, Egypt and Qatar) continuing their work in the coming days (on the details of implementing the agreement), including arrangements related to the humanitarian aspect, and those related to hostages and detainees."

They also welcomed the announcement by senior officials from the governments of the mediator countries of their intention to hold a new meeting in Cairo before the end of next week in the context of efforts to reach an agreement.

At the conclusion of two days of talks in Doha with Israel's participation and Hamas's absence, the mediators announced, via a statement on Friday, that the United States had presented a new proposal to reduce the gaps between Israel and the movement, revealing further talks in Cairo before the end of next week to move forward in efforts to reach an agreement.

Washington, which says the Doha talks are proceeding in a "positive atmosphere," hopes that reaching an agreement between Hamas and Israel to stop the war and exchange prisoners will help dissuade Iran and Hezbollah from responding to the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, and party leader Fouad Shukr in Beirut the day before.

While details of the new US proposal have not been revealed, a joint Egyptian-Qatari-US statement said it was "consistent with the principles set out by President Joe Biden on May 31, 2024."

A statement issued by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following the conclusion of the Doha talks, showed that his government was adhering to conditions that Hamas absolutely rejected, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Mossad chief David Barnea had previously warned that they would hinder reaching a deal.

These conditions include "controlling the Philadelphi Corridor on the border between Gaza and Egypt, the Rafah border crossing in Gaza, and preventing the return of Palestinian faction fighters to northern Gaza."

A Hamas leadership source said, "What the movement's leadership was informed of regarding the results of the Doha ceasefire meetings does not include commitment to what was agreed upon on July 2," without further details.

At the end of last May, Biden presented the terms of a deal offered to him by Israel "to stop the fighting and release all the kidnapped (Israeli prisoners in Gaza)," and Hamas accepted it at the time, according to Hebrew media.

On July 2, the mediators presented Hamas with the terms of a framework for a ceasefire agreement based on Biden's proposal.

Hamas was absent from the Doha negotiations in which Israel participated, demanding that Tel Aviv first be bound by what was previously agreed upon on July 2.

Hamas complains that the talks continue "without end", and accuses Israel, with the help of the United States, of procrastinating in those talks, presenting one proposal after another, and placing obstacles in its way through new conditions to extend the war, in the hope that it will be able to achieve a victory that will save its face.