A key mediator on Gaza is stressing the urgency of brokering a ceasefire after Hamas showed a “positive response” to a proposal

Hamas says it has accepted a proposal from Arab mediators for a ceasefire in the 22-month war sparked by its Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel.

A senior Israeli official said the government stood firm on its call for the release of all hostages in any future Gaza ceasefire deal, after Hamas accepted a new truce proposal.