The ball is now in Israel’s court. We would like a positive response from them as soon as possible," Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told NBC News.

Hamas says it has agreed to a new Gaza ceasefire proposal as mediators from Qatar and Egypt push to renew talks ahead of a major Israeli assault on Gaza City.

Some members of Israel’s coalition have ruled out a proposed hostage deal with Hamas, but the prime minister has yet to state his position.

Amid reports Hamas has given a positive response to the latest ceasefire proposal, Minister Israel Katz says the threat of an IDF operation in Gaza City allowed diplomacy to resume.

Hamas fighters claimed to have killed and injured Israeli troops in a major attack on Wednesday in southern Gaza. Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, said one fighter blew himself up in Khan Younis,