Militant group Hamas is expected to agree to a truce with Israel, perhaps even by the end of the day, Palestinian officials said.
Egyptian diplomatic sources said an announcement would be made in Cairo. Hamas leaders declined to comment.
A truce is crucial for implementing a US backed peace plan, the "road map" to Palestinian statehood by 2005.
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A Palestinian source involved in the truce talks said a final draft of the ceasefire proposal has been sent to Mr Khaled Mashal, a top Hamas leader in Damascus.
The draft does not specify the duration of the truce, and this will be left to Egyptian mediators to determine, the source said.
The document states that the armed groups are willing to give Palestinian premier Mr Mahmoud Abbas a chance to reach an agreement with the Israelis, according to the source.
The truce agreement was drawn up by Mr Marwan Barghouti, a jailed Palestinian uprising leader, in his Israeli prison cell, said the source.
Egyptian diplomatic sources said Mr Mashal was heading to Cairo today or Tuesday, and that he would be accompanied by Mr Ramadan Shalah, leader of the smaller Islamic Jihad group.
Several Palestinian Authority officials expressed optimism. "Hamas told us they would give us an answer on Monday so we expect an answer today, and we expect it to be a positive one," said Foreign Minister Nabil
A key sticking point has been Israel's refusal to date to halt targeted killings of wanted Palestinians.
Israel says it reserves the right to go after "ticking bombs," but uses a broad definition that includes not only assailants about to carry out attacks, but also those who send them.
AP