The negotiations appeared to be gaining momentum on Monday as Arab and American mediators pushed for an agreement before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office.

And there's a third - regional - shift playing into the shift in expectations here too: the weakening and erosion of Hamas allies in Iran's "Axis of Resistance", from Hezbollah in Lebanon to Bashar al-Assad in Syria, along with killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza.

Israel and Hamas have been holding indirect talks for more than a year aimed at ending the war in Gaza and returning the hostages to Israel.