Israel criticises Gaza truce terms but talks go on

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said a connection for a caller Gaza ceasefire is "far from Israel's basal requirements" but negotiations volition continue.

His comments came aft Hamas said it had accepted the truce presumption offered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

"The shot is present successful Israel's court," an authoritative successful the Palestinian radical said.

Overnight, Israeli forces and tanks were seen adjacent the Rafah borderline crossing successful confederate Gaza, reports successful Israeli media said.

Earlier, Israel's subject carried retired aerial strikes connected Rafah, connected the borderline with Egypt, aft informing Palestinians to evacuate eastbound parts of the city.

Tens of thousands of residents are believed to beryllium affected by the cognition and galore were seen cramming into vehicles oregon connected to donkey carts connected Monday.

Israel has agelong threatened an violative against Hamas hold-outs successful the metropolis of 1.4 cardinal people, galore of whom person sought refuge determination from Israeli offensives successful different parts of Gaza.

Late connected Monday, Mr Netanyahu's bureau said successful a statement: "Even though the Hamas connection is acold from Israel's basal requirements, Israel volition nonstop a delegation of mediators to exhaust the anticipation of reaching an statement nether conditions acceptable to Israel."

At the aforesaid time, it added. Israel's warfare furniture had decided to proceed the Rafah cognition to "exert subject unit connected Hamas to beforehand our warfare aims: the merchandise of our hostages, destruct Hamas's subject and governing capabilities and guarantee that Gaza does not airs a menace to Israel successful the future".

Earlier successful the day, Hamas enactment retired a connection saying its governmental leader, Ismail Haniyeh, had informed Qatar's premier curate and Egypt's quality main of its "approval of their connection regarding a ceasefire agreement".

A elder Palestinian authoritative acquainted with the connection told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to extremity "hostile enactment forever" if the conditions were met.

That operation hinted that Hamas mightiness beryllium contemplating the extremity of its equipped struggle, though nary further details were provided. It would travel astatine the decision of a two-phase ceasefire deal, with each signifier lasting 42 days.

The archetypal signifier would see the merchandise of the pistillate Israeli soldiers being held hostage, each successful speech for 50 Palestinian prisoners successful Israeli jails, including immoderate who are serving beingness sentences.

During this period, Israeli troops would stay wrong Gaza. But wrong 11 days of the ceasefire coming into force, Israel would statesman dismantling its subject facilities successful the centre of the territory and would retreat from Salah al-Din Road, which is the main north-south route, and the coastal road.

After 11 days, displaced Palestinians would beryllium allowed to instrumentality to the north.

The 2nd signifier would reason with a "sustainable agelong play of calm" and the implicit lifting of the blockade of Gaza, according to the official.

US authorities section spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters the US - which is attempting to broker a woody on with Qatar and Egypt - was reviewing Hamas's effect and "discussing it with our partners".

The warfare began erstwhile Hamas gunmen stormed into confederate Israel connected 7 October, sidesplitting astir 1,200 radical and seizing much than 250 hostages.

More than 34,700 radical person been killed successful Gaza during the ensuing Israeli subject campaign, according to the territory's Hamas-run wellness ministry.

A woody agreed successful November saw Hamas merchandise 105 hostages successful instrumentality for a week-long ceasefire and immoderate 240 Palestinian prisoners successful Israeli jails.

Israel says 128 hostages stay unaccounted for successful Gaza, astatine slightest 34 of whom are presumed dead.