Egypt sees positive signals on Gaza ceasefire talks, sources say

Egypt, one of the mediators in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, has received positive indications from Israel over a new ceasefire proposal that would include a transitional phase, security sources told Reuters on Thursday.

The proposal suggests Hamas release five Israeli hostages each week, sources said.

A security delegation from Egypt has left for Qatar for talks, which will include increasing aid to the enclave and releasing remaining hostages, state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV said on Thursday.

Violence has escalated in Gaza since a January truce broke down on March 18 after two months of relative calm.

Asked about the latest proposal, a Palestinian official close to the mediation efforts said "there are some offers that look better than the previous ones".

When asked if he expects an announcement on a breakthrough on Thursday, he replied: "Maybe not yet".

There was no immediate response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on the proposal, but a spokesperson said there is currently no Israeli delegation in Doha.

Israel and Hamas accused each other of breaching the truce, which had offered respite from war for the 2.3 million inhabitants of Gaza, which has been reduced to rubble.

Hamas, which still holds 59 of more than 250 hostages Israel says the group seized in its October 7, 2023 attack, accuses Israel of jeopardising efforts by mediators to negotiate a permanent deal to end the fighting.

Israel says it would be willing to extend the ceasefire temporarily if Hamas releases more hostages, but without moving yet to a second phase during which it would negotiate a permanent end to the war.

Israel also said it won't accept Hamas' presence in the enclave and added it wanted to extend the ceasefire's temporary first phase, a proposal backed by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff