The negotiations focused on freeing Edan Alexander, the only American Israeli hostage still believed to be alive, and the bodies of four other U.S.-Israeli dual citizens who were kidnapped and taken to Gaza in the October 2023 attack, officials told The New York Times.

Hamas said on Thursday that U.S. President Trump's repeated threats against Palestinians constituted support for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to back out of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and intensify the siege and starvation on Gazans.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Tuesday Israel was ready to proceed to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, as long as Hamas was ready to release more of the 59 hostages it is still holding.

Israel has halted the entry of aid into Gaza until Hamas agrees to a new ceasefire deal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced. With the first round of the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel wrapping up,