During the tense meeting, the mediators made it clear to Hamas leaders that “if you don’t return with a serious response, your problem will be with us - the mediators.”

Terror group submits softened response after being told to come back with more reasonable reply; Witkoff slated to meet Dermer, Qatari PM in Italy on Thursday to advance talks

Hamas's more positive answer followed a tense Tuesday meeting, where mediators told Hamas that they must return with a serious response; otherwise, their "problem will be with us - the mediators. ” Hamas has responded to the Israeli ceasefire proposal with an answer that is "better than the last,

While UN and European officials hope that a cease-fire deal would help ease suffering among the Strip’s population, Israelis worry that as in the

PARIS -Arab countries will for the first time condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament early next week at a United Nations ministerial event in New York, a move meant to lure more European countries to recognize Palestinian statehood,

Both Israel and Hamas are facing pressure at home and abroad to reach a deal following almost two years of war, with the humanitarian situation inside Gaza deteriorating.

Hamas expresses "surprise" after US envoy Steve Witkoff also accuses the group of showing "a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his government is considering “alternative options” to ceasefire talks with Hamas