It comes after Middle East envoy Witkoff said earlier this week that he was optimistic about brokering an agreement to end more than 19 months of war in Gaza. View on euronews

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to end the war until all the hostages are released and Hamas is either destroyed or disarmed and sent into exile. He has said Israel will control Gaza indefinitely and facilitate what he refers to as the voluntary emigration of much of its population.

Israel has accepted a new U.S. proposal for a temporary ceasefire with Hamas, the White House said Thursday. U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, expressed optimism earlier this week about brokering an agreement to halt the Israel-Hamas war and return more of the hostages captured in the attack that ignited it.