The Palestinian Authority must be the sole governing power in Gaza after the war, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said on Wednesday, as expectations grew that a deal to halt fighting and start returning Israeli hostages was near.

The Palestinian prime minister says it's unacceptable for any entity other than the Palestinian Authority to run the Gaza Strip in the future.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office denied on Wednesday that Hamas had agreed to the Gaza ceasefire proposal from Qatari mediators, after an Israeli official said the Palestinian militant group had given its approval.

Qatar’s prime minister said the deal would go into effect on Sunday. Israel said final details still need ironing out.

Israel hasn’t yet commented. The agreement still needs to be approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a deal to halt fighting in Gaza and exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, an official briefed on the deal told Reuters on Wednesday, opening the way to a possible end to a 15-month war that has upended the Middle East.