JERUSALEM (AP) 鈥 International efforts to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas appeared to gain new momentum Thursday as the White House said a visit by a senior envoy with Israeli leaders was 鈥済oing well鈥 and other mediators reported encouraging signs from the warring parties.
The new signs of progress came ahead of an expected summit this weekend in Paris, where mediators plan to present a new proposal. The U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been struggling for weeks to find a formula that could halt Israel鈥檚 , but now face an unofficial deadline as the Muslim approaches.
White House Mideast envoy Brett McGurk held talks throughout the day with Israeli leaders and families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
鈥淭he initial indications we鈥檙e getting from Brett are these discussions are going well,鈥 said White House spokesman John Kirby.
A Western diplomat involved in the efforts said both sides want a pause. 鈥淲hat we have heard from our partners is that they are willing to give concessions,鈥 she said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door diplomacy. 鈥淭ime is pressing them.鈥
In new fighting, Israeli strikes killed over 70 people in southern and central Gaza, Palestinian health officials said.
Tensions were also rising in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where three Palestinian gunmen opened fire on morning traffic at a highway checkpoint, killing one man and wounding five others, Israeli police said.
Israel declared war after Hamas militants stormed across the border on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. The Israeli offensive has left over 29,000 Palestinians dead, caused widespread destruction, displaced an estimated 80% of Gaza鈥檚 population and fueled a humanitarian disaster.
Roughly half of the hostages were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November. About 100 hostages remain in captivity, in addition to the bodies of 30 others who were killed on Oct. 7 or died in captivity.
Israel is demanding the release of the remaining hostages as part of any pause but has vowed to press ahead with the offensive until Hamas鈥 military and governing capabilities are destroyed. Hamas wants an end to the war, a full withdrawal of troops and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners Israel is holding.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed the Hamas demands as 鈥渄elusional.鈥 But in recent days, Israeli leaders have begun to voice cautious optimism and Hamas has signaled it is softening its demands.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, a member of Israel鈥檚 three-man War Cabinet, indicated some flexibility. 鈥淲e will expand the authority given to our hostage negotiators,鈥 he said.
At the same time, he warned that the Israeli army 鈥渋s preparing the continuation of intense ground operations.鈥
Benny Gantz, who sits on the War Cabinet with Gallant and Netanyahu, has said that if there is no hostage deal, Israel will launch a ground offensive into Gaza鈥檚 southernmost town, Rafah, , which begins around March 10.
A top Hamas official, meanwhile, voiced hope for 鈥渓ots of breakthroughs鈥 in the near future.
More than half of Gaza鈥檚 population of 2.3 million is crowded into Rafah after fleeing fighting elsewhere in the territory. Israel has said it will evacuate them before attacking. But it is not clear where they would go, with much of the rest of the tiny Mediterranean enclave consumed in combat.
The U.S. has urged Israel not to invade Rafah 鈥 believed to be Hamas鈥 last major stronghold 鈥 without a plan to protect civilians. Kirby said that McGurk was pressing the Israelis for details.
The foreign ministers of 26 European countries on Thursday called for a pause in fighting leading to a longer cease-fire.
CEASE-FIRE
Both the Western diplomat and an Egyptian official said they have seen 鈥渆ncouraging鈥 signs from Israel and Hamas.
The Egyptian official said Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. would craft a renewed proposal at the talks in Paris, expected on Friday or Saturday.
He said mediators managed to water down demands of both sides, including the number of Palestinian prisoners Israel would release in return for women and elderly hostages during a preliminary six-week cease-fire. He said 鈥渢he discussions are encouraging.鈥
He said another sticking point is whether displaced Palestinians could return to their homes in northern Gaza. He said Israel, which is still battling in areas of the north, was showing flexibility.
He also said both sides agreed to continue indirect negotiations for a permanent cease-fire 鈥 something Israeli officials in public have ruled out.
Moussa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas official, said the negotiations were focused on 鈥渙ur people.鈥 He called for Palestinians to be allowed to return to their homes in northern Gaza and a 鈥渞edeployment鈥 of Israeli forces from residential areas.
鈥淚f this is achieved, things can move on an excellent and good way,鈥 he said. 鈥淭herefore we say there might be lots of breakthroughs in the near future.鈥
Israeli media said the War Cabinet agreed late Thursday to send a delegation to the Paris talks.
WEST BANK SHOOTING AND RAMADAN TENSIONS
Thursday鈥檚 shooting came at a checkpoint on a West Bank highway where the gunmen opened fire on cars in the morning rush-hour traffic jam. An Israeli man in his 20s was killed and five others wounded, including a pregnant woman. Security forces killed two of the gunmen and detained the third, police said.
Hamas praised the attack in Jerusalem and said it was a 鈥渘atural response鈥 to Israel鈥檚 ongoing war in Gaza and raids in the West Bank. But the militant group did not claim responsibility for the attack.
Tensions are rising in the West Bank ahead of Ramadan, which in the past has seen increased clashes, often in connection to restrictions imposed on Palestinian worshippers going to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem鈥檚 Old City during the holy month.
Israel鈥檚 hardline national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has called for tight restrictions on Muslim prayers this year. But no final decisions have been made.
Tempers are likely to be even more volatile this year over the Gaza war and spiraling violence in the West Bank.
Late Thursday, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank said one man was killed and 15 wounded, two critically, in an Israeli attack on a car in the Jenin refugee camp. The Israeli military had no immediate comment, but it often operates in the area in what it says is a crackdown on militants.
BOMBARDMENT CONTINUES
Late Thursday, Palestinian health officials said at least 27 people were killed in airstrikes in the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah. Ambulances rushed victims to the Al-Aqsa Martrys' Hospital.
A small child was rushed into the hospital on a stretcher, while a youth, covered in black soot, was treated as he sat on the floor in the entrance of the building.
Strikes in central and southern Gaza earlier Thursday had killed at least 48, including 14 children and 8 women, according to hospital officials there.
Gaza鈥檚 Health Ministry, meanwhile, said Israeli forces have repositioned around southern Gaza鈥檚 largest hospital 鈥 a week after storming into the facility in what Israel said was
The ministry said Israeli forces had moved out of the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, but were effectively besieging it and restricting movement for staff and patients. The complex is now grappling with severe shortages, including a lack of drinking water, food, electricity, oxygen, and necessary medical supplies, it said.
The Israeli military said that troops were no longer in the hospital, but that the area remained 鈥渁n active battle zone.鈥
___
Shurafa reported from Rafah, Gaza Strip, and Magdy reported from Cairo. AP correspondent Zeke Miller in Washington contributed reporting.
