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The militant group's limited acceptance of Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire deal on Friday was met with worldwide approval and is the nearest the two warring sides have got in two years to ending the war within the Gaza Strip.

How Near Are We to an Agreement?

The Palestinian faction's qualified acceptance of the Trump plan is the closest negotiators have reached over the last several months to a comprehensive end to the war in Gaza. Nevertheless, they remain far off from an agreement.

The US president's 20-point initiative to conclude the war stipulates that Hamas release all hostages within 72 hours, surrender governing authority to a transnational authority chaired by the US president, and lay down its weapons. As compensation, Israel would step-by-step pull back its troops from Gaza and return over one thousand Palestinian prisoners.

The proposal would also bring a boost of humanitarian aid to Gaza, some areas of which are undergoing famine, and reconstruction funds to the Palestinian territory, which has been nearly completely devastated.

Hamas gave consent on three items: the freeing of every captive, the handing over of power and the pullout of Israeli troops from Gaza. Hamas said the remaining parts of the deal would have to be discussed alongside additional Palestinian factions, since it forms part of a “collective national stance”.

Effectively, this implies the group seeks further negotiations on the thornier parts of the Trump deal, particularly the request for its disarmament, and a clear schedule regarding Israeli troop pullout.

Where and When Will Negotiations Happen?

Delegates have traveled to Cairo to hammer out details to bridge the divide between the two sides.

Discussions begin on Monday and it is anticipated to bring results within a few days, regardless of the outcome.

The US president posted a picture of a chart showing Gaza on Saturday night that showed the line to which Israeli forces ought to pull back and said that if the group consents to it, that the ceasefire would start immediately. Donald Trump is eager to stop the war as it approaches to its two year mark and before the Nobel committee announces the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize on 10 October, an issue that is an extensively reported preoccupation for him.

The Israeli prime minister said a deal to bring Israeli hostages home would ideally happen soon.

Which Differences Persist?

The two sides have hedged their bets heading into the talks.

The group has consistently refused to give up its arms in past negotiations. It has provided no indication on if its stance has shifted regarding this issue, even as it principally agrees to Trump’s plan, with qualifications. The US and Israel have made it clear that there is limited flexibility on the disarmament issue and are resolved to pin Hamas down through firm wording in any agreement going forward.

The militant faction additionally stated it accepted surrendering authority over Gaza to an expert-led governing force, as outlined by the Trump plan. But, in its announcement, the militant group specified it would agree to a Gaza-based technocratic governing body, rather than the global authority that Trump laid out in the proposal.

Israel has also sought to maintain the matter regarding its military pullout ambiguous. Just hours after announcing the US proposal in a joint press conference in Washington recently, the prime minister released a video assuring the Israeli public that troops would remain across much of Gaza.

On Saturday night, Netanyahu again repeated that troops would remain inside Gaza, stating that captives would be returned while the Israeli military would remain within Gaza's interior.

Netanyahu’s position appears to conflict against the requirement in the US proposal that Israeli forces completely pull out from the territory. Hamas will seek reassurances that Israel will completely leave and that if Hamas surrenders its weapons, Israeli troops will not re-enter the strip.

Negotiators will have to close these gaps, securing firm, unambiguous terms on disarmament from the group. They must also show to Hamas that the Israeli government will truly withdraw from the territory and that there are international guarantees that will force the Israeli state to comply with the conditions of the deal.

The differences might be resolved, and the US will undoubtedly push both parties to achieve a deal. Nevertheless, negotiations have come near to an agreement previously abruptly failing several times over the last 24 months, making both sides cautious of celebrating before pen is on paper.