The Israeli military is willing to suspend operations against Palestinian militants if they call off attacks, Israeli leaders said Sunday, signaling a shift in position that could help pave the way toward a cease-fire after more than four years of fighting. The announcement, made by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his defense minister, Shaul Mofaz, came as Palestinian leaders appeared to be closing in on a truce deal with Islamic militants. The new Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, has been in Gaza since last Tuesday pressuring militant groups to halt their attacks on Israeli targets. Abbas hopes a truce will lead to the resumption of peace talks.Mofaz said in a radio interview that Abbas has received assurances from two militant groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, that they will halt attacks on Israel for at least a month. During this time, a more detailed agreement, including the terms of possible political participation of the opposition groups, would be negotiated, Mofaz said. He did not say how he learned about the cease-fire. Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath said Mofaz's claim was premature, but that an agreement was extremely close. "Things are moving in the right direction. I am not talking about weeks. I'm talking about days," Shaath said. Abbas, who was scheduled to return to his West Bank headquarters on Sunday, extended his stay in Gaza by an extra day to finalize a deal, Shaath said. Representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad said Sunday that no agreement had been reached, but that the talks with Abbas were progressing.