Israel agrees to Gaza ceasefire but Hamas reluctant as it 'does not contain commitments to end the war'

Netanyahu's office did not confirm the reports, but White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters in Washington that Israel had signed off on the proposal.

Hamas said it was studying the proposal, with senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri telling Reuters the group was still discussing it.

However, Abu Zuhri said the terms "echoed Israel's position and do not contain commitments to end the war, withdraw Israeli troops or admit aid as Hamas has demanded."

A source briefed on the matter said the initial phase of the proposed deal would include a 60-day ceasefire and the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave.

However, deep differences between Hamas and Israel have stymied previous attempts to restore a ceasefire that broke down in March after only two months.

Israel has insisted that Hamas disarm completely and be dismantled as a military and governing force, demanding that all 58 hostages still held in Gaza must be returned before it will agree to end the war.

Hamas has rejected the demand to give up its weapons and says Israel must pull its troops out of Gaza and commit to ending the war.

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These fundamental disagreements over disarmament, troop withdrawal and hostage releases continue to present significant obstacles to reaching a lasting agreement.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a private group backed by the United States and endorsed by Israel, expanded its aid distribution to a third site on Thursday.

The operation began this week in Gaza, where the UN has said two million people are at risk of famine after Israel's 11-week blockade on aid entering the enclave.

The aid launch was marred by tumultuous scenes on Tuesday when thousands of Palestinians rushed distribution points and forced private security contractors to retreat.

The chaotic start to the operation has raised international pressure on Israel to get more food in and halt the fighting in Gaza.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has so far supplied about 1.8 million meals and plans to open more sites in the coming weeks, though it has been heavily criticised by the UN and other aid groups as inadequate and flawed.

Witkoff told reporters on Wednesday that Washington was close to "sending out a new term sheet" about a ceasefire to the two sides in the conflict that has raged since October 2023.

"I have some very good feelings about getting to a long-term resolution, temporary ceasefire and a long-term resolution, a peaceful resolution, of that conflict," Witkoff said.