A burst of flame erupts as an Israeli army self-propelled howitzer fires a round from southern Israel toward the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. Photograph: Jack Guez/AFP/GettyIsraeli forces carried out air strikes in Gaza on Wednesday as the militant Palestinian group Hamas studied a new proposal for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in the enclave. Israeli sources said the framework of a proposed deal involved the release of 35 hostages held by militants in Gaza in the first stage of a truce that would last for 35 days. The Washington Post reported that the ceasefire could be extended, after the release of all civilian captives, to allow for the release of soldiers and the bodies of hostages who have died. A Palestinian man mourns over the body of a loved one at the Ahli Arabi hospital in Gaza City.

Source: The Irish Times February 01, 2024 12:57 UTC