Hamas has accepted a U.S-backed proposal for a phased-out ceasefire deal and requires that Israel commit upfront to ending its destruction in Gaza, a senior Hamas official told Reuters Sunday. 

The Hamas official—who is a member of the negotiating team and asked to be kept anonymous—confirmed to CNN the proposal includes a guaranteed temporary truce, delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli troops so long as talks continued. 

In exchange, the Hamas official said they would begin talks on releasing Israel hostages held in Gaza no later than 16 days after the first phase of the agreement. 

"There's real progress, but still a lot of work to do,” a U.S. official who declined to confirm the Hamas decision, told Reuters.