Israel tells Gaza ceasefire negotiators to resume work

Hamas has engaged Egyptian and Qatari mediators for a potential agreement, initially demanding an end to the war and Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza.

Israel, seeking only temporary pauses in fighting, outlined a three-phase plan involving a ceasefire, troop withdrawal, hostage exchanges, and Gaza's reconstruction.

Following discussions, Hamas has dropped the complete ceasefire demand, now seeking Israeli withdrawal from Gaza's southern border areas. The U.S. accuses Hamas of obstructing ceasefire progress, despite Israel and other international parties agreeing to the proposal.

The conflict began with Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, leading to significant casualties on both sides.