UK PM Urges Hamas to Accept 40-Day Ceasefire

Hamas 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 in Riyadh.

A Hamas delegation is due in Egypt on Monday, where it is expected to respond to the latest proposal for a truce in Gaza and a release of hostages after almost seven months of war.

Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been trying to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months, but a flurry of diplomacy in recent days appeared to suggest a new push toward halting hostilities.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had earlier weighed in, saying Hamas had been presented with an "extraordinarily generous" offer by Israel that he hoped it would accept.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,500 people, according to local health officials, and left a swathe of destruction across the territory.

The White House on Sunday said US President Joe Biden had again spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as pressure builds on Israel to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a cease-fire in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza.

The White House said that Biden reiterated his “clear position” as Israel plans to invade Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah despite global concern for more than 1 million Palestinians sheltering there.