As Israel and Hamas move closer to a ceasefire agreement, Israel says it wants to maintain troops in a southern corridor of the Gaza Strip — a condition that could derail the talks.

Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel for a ceasefire in Gaza are being held up by Israel's proposals to keep troops in the territory, two Palestinian sources with knowledge of the discussions told AFP on Saturday.

Israel and Hamas appeared to be closer to a truce than in recent weeks, but they were still wrangling over the terms of a deal that would see the release of hostages held in Gaza.

Trump's meetings with the Israeli leader have brought no apparent breakthrough for a ceasefire in Gaza, where the bloodshed continues unabated.

The talks, mediated by Qatar, the US, and Egypt, have reportedly stalled over two major sticking points: how humanitarian aid would be distributed during the ceasefire and whether Israeli forces would withdraw from areas of Gaza currently under military control.