Key elements of deal for Gaza ceasefire and hostage release 'are on the table', says Biden

Israel and Hamas are making progress towards a deal that would bring about a ceasefire and free hostages held in the Gaza Strip, officials with knowledge of the talks said yesterday.

- Peter Beaumont Emine Sinmaz Jerusalem

The US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, speaking as negotiations were held in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, said: "They've been constructive and are moving in the right direction." 

The talks came as calls grew for Israel not to proceed with a planned assault on the territory's southernmost city, Rafah, which is now crammed with more than a million displaced people. Israel has faced a mounting wave of international criticism for its conduct of the war in Gaza and for settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

Calling Israel's military offensive in Gaza "disproportionate", the Italian foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said there were "too many victims" in Gaza, as South Africa - which has lodged a genocide complaint against Israel at the International Court of justice - returned to the ICJ to demand that it took action over the recent attacks on Rafah.

Yesterday France became the latest country, following the US and UK, to announce an imposition of sanctions against several dozen Israeli settlers involved in violent acts targeting Palestinians.