British Foreign Secretary David Cameron on Monday (Apr 29) said that a 40-day ceasefire has been offered to Hamas and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas to accept Israel's latest and "extraordinarily generous" proposal.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron on Monday (Apr 29) said that a 40-day ceasefire has been offered to Hamas and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas to accept Israel's latest and "extraordinarily generous" proposal. This comes after reports emerged that at least 25 Palestinians were killed during Israeli airstrikes on three houses in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The strikes also wounded several others, the news agency Reuters reported citing medics as saying on Monday. Israeli warplanes struck two houses, killing at least four people and wounding several people, in Gaza City, which is in the north of the Gaza Strip, the health officials said as reported by the news agency. The strike on the other house killed two brothers, the agency added. Also read: Container ship en route to Jeddah reportedly targeted with missiles near Yemen: Ambrey The strikes came amid intensified talks of a long-sought Gaza truce between Israel and Hamas with the Palestinian militant group agreeing to a hostage release deal. The much-anticipated talks are scheduled to take place within a few hours as Egypt was expected to host leaders of Hamas to discuss prospects for a ceasefire agreement with Israel. To de-escalate the situation, Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months. A recent increase in diplomacy appeared to suggest a new push towards halting amid fears that the invasion of Rafah, where more than one million people have sought refuge from months of Israeli bombardment, will be catastrophic. But Israel claimed that Hamas' last four intact battalions are holed up in Rafah. Also read: Red Sea shipping diversions boost carbon emissions equivalent to 9 mn cars Forty-day ceasefire? Hamas has been offered a 40-day ceasefire and the release of "potentially thousands" of Palestinian prisoners in return for freeing Israeli hostages, said UK foreign secretary. The Palestinian militant group has been given "a very generous offer of sustained 40 days ceasefire, the release of potentially thousands of Palestinian prisoners, in return for the release of these hostages," Cameron told a World Economic Forum meeting held in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday (April 29). Watch this report: × Blinken's message to Hamas Blinken urged Hamas to accept the proposal for a Gaza truce, reiterating that the US could not support an Israeli ground assault on Rafah "in the absence of an (Israeli) plan to ensure that civilians will not be harmed." "We strongly support Israel in its effort to ensure that what happened on October 7 never happens again. But at the same time, we are determined to do everything we can to bring an end to the terrible human suffering that we're seeing every single day in Gaza among children, women, men, who've been caught in a terrible crossfire of Hamas' making," Blinken said. "And so maximising protection of civilians, maximising the support that gets to them. This is very much our focus. Now, the quickest way to bring this to an end is to get to a ceasefire and the release of hostages," he added. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Hamas gets 40-day ceasefire offer amid airstrikes on Rafah by Israel

Israel carried out air strikes on the Gaza strip in response to rocket fire from the coastal enclave. The strikes came as the military began withdrawing forces from Jenin in West Bank, after a major two-day operation in the area. Residents of the Gaza strip said Israeli aircraft launched a series of airstrikes at sites in the coastal Palestinian territory.

Israeli military aircraft thunder over Gaza; Troops withdraw from Jenin refugee camp | Details

According to reports, the Israeli Army had killed three leaders of the 'Islamic Jihad' in airstrikes that it carried out inside the territory of Gaza, it claimed. According to the Health Ministry of Hamas-controlled Palestine, the Israeli airstrikes has resulted in more than a dozen people dead.

'Islamic Jihad' leaders dead in Israel-Gaza airstrikes | Israeli FM cuts short 3-day India visit

Israel targeted Hamas in strikes on Gaza early Saturday after rockets were fired towards it from the Palestinian enclave, the army said, two days after a fragile ceasefire began.

Hamas, the Islamist movement that has de facto control over the Gaza Strip, has so far kept its distance from the deadly exchanges of fire that erupted this week.

A ceasefire has been in place since Thursday morning following the violent escalation between Israel and Islamic Jihad -- the territory's second most powerful Palestinian militant group.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it was "currently striking Hamas terror targets" in Gaza, where AFP journalists saw the Israeli strikes and reported retaliation from inside the enclave.

The army said it launched the strikes after "two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory" and were intercepted by air defences.

Palestinian security sources said the Israeli strikes were aimed at two Hamas sites in the north of the territory.

It was the first time Hamas has been targeted since this week's escalation began early Tuesday with Israel's targeted killing of a top Islamic Jihad commander.

That strike triggered almost immediate retaliatory rocket fire from Islamic Jihad at Israel, setting off air-raid sirens and sending Israelis rushing to bomb shelters in the country's southern and central regions.

Fragile ceasefire&nbsp;

Israel's military had said around 450 rockets were fired at its territory during the fighting and air defences had intercepted dozens of them.

It then responded with its own airstrikes, saying it had targeted more Islamic Jihad militant sites and rocket- and missile-launching squads.

After two days of violence -- in which 34 Palestinians died but no Israeli fatalities -- a ceasefire was agreed.

But it has so far been precarious, with fire coming from both sides on Friday after the agreement went into effect.

The Gaza Strip is home to two million Palestinians, and Israel and Palestinian militants have fought three wars there since 2008.

Israeli analysts said earlier this week that the focus on Islamic Jihad instead of Hamas was a clear signal that the army sought to avoid a wider conflict in Gaza.

Hamas repeatedly said it would not abandon its ally, but not joining the fight helped it maintain a fragile truce with Israel that has seen tens of millions of dollars in Qatari aid flow into the impoverished Gaza Strip since last year.

On Thursday, Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus told reporters that the army had "wanted to keep Hamas out of the fighting".

"Throughout the operation, we of course between distinguished Hamas and Islamic Jihad. And all of our operations were measured, proportionate and focused only on military assets belonging to Islamic jihad," he said

Israel targeted Hamas in strikes on Gaza early Saturday after rockets were fired towards it from the Palestinian enclave, the army said, two days after a fragile ceasefire began.

Israel targeted Hamas in strikes on Gaza early Saturday after rockets were fired towards it from the Palestinian enclave, the army said, two days after a fragile ceasefire began. Hamas, the Islamist movement that has de facto control over the Gaza Strip, has so far kept its distance from the deadly exchanges of fire that erupted this week. A ceasefire has been in place since Thursday morning following the violent escalation between Israel and Islamic Jihad -- the territory's second most powerful Palestinian militant group. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it was "currently striking Hamas terror targets" in Gaza, where AFP journalists saw the Israeli strikes and reported retaliation from inside the enclave. The army said it launched the strikes after "two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory" and were intercepted by air defences. Palestinian security sources said the Israeli strikes were aimed at two Hamas sites in the north of the territory. It was the first time Hamas has been targeted since this week's escalation began early Tuesday with Israel's targeted killing of a top Islamic Jihad commander. That strike triggered almost immediate retaliatory rocket fire from Islamic Jihad at Israel, setting off air-raid sirens and sending Israelis rushing to bomb shelters in the country's southern and central regions. Fragile ceasefire Israel's military had said around 450 rockets were fired at its territory during the fighting and air defences had intercepted dozens of them. It then responded with its own airstrikes, saying it had targeted more Islamic Jihad militant sites and rocket- and missile-launching squads. After two days of violence -- in which 34 Palestinians died but no Israeli fatalities -- a ceasefire was agreed. But it has so far been precarious, with fire coming from both sides on Friday after the agreement went into effect. The Gaza Strip is home to two million Palestinians, and Israel and Palestinian militants have fought three wars there since 2008. Israeli analysts said earlier this week that the focus on Islamic Jihad instead of Hamas was a clear signal that the army sought to avoid a wider conflict in Gaza. Hamas repeatedly said it would not abandon its ally, but not joining the fight helped it maintain a fragile truce with Israel that has seen tens of millions of dollars in Qatari aid flow into the impoverished Gaza Strip since last year. On Thursday, Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus told reporters that the army had "wanted to keep Hamas out of the fighting". "Throughout the operation, we of course between distinguished Hamas and Islamic Jihad. And all of our operations were measured, proportionate and focused only on military assets belonging to Islamic jihad," he said

Israel strikes Hamas targets in Gaza after rocket fire