On the brink

All-out war alert as ceasefire deal is facing collapse

- CHRIS HUGHES

A GAZA ceasefire deal was facing collapse last night, threatening to spark all-out war in the Middle East.

Israel is insisting on keeping troops on the Egyptian border and in a main route leading to the north of the Gaza Strip to stop Hamas supplies.

It has also agreed to a bridging proposal made by America, Egypt and Qatar but Hamas says it will not accept the pact.

Another sticking point is the number of hostages to be released from Gaza - said to be "dozens" in a suggestion made by President Joe Biden.

Yesterday online news site Politico quoted a US official saying of new Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar: "We don't know if Sinwar wants this deal.

"But if we don't get the deal there's a chance that Iran attacks and this escalates into a full-blown confrontation."

Gaza's health ministry yesterday said 50 Palestinians had died and 124 had been wounded in Israeli attacks in the last 24 hours.