Race to agree Gaza ceasefire as Israel continues assault

Mediators are continuing to push Hamas and Israel to agree to a Gaza ceasefire deal, after the Palestinian group submitted amendments to a proposal pushed forward by Washington.

Hamas says the changes are "not significant" and include the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, a senior leader in the group told Reuters on Thursday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that Hamas had proposed numerous changes, some unworkable, to the Washington-backed proposal, but that mediators were determined to close the gaps.

The US has said Israel has accepted its proposal, but Israel has not publicly stated this, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will not commit to ending its campaign before Hamas is eliminated.

© Al-Araby Al-Jadeed