In a brief statement on Saturday, Mr Netanyahu said he has sent a delegation to Egypt “to finalise technical details”, adding that “our goal is to contain these negotiations to a timeframe of a few days”.

He spoke after Hamas said it had accepted some elements of the US plan.

US President Donald Trump welcomed the Hamas statement but on Saturday warned that “Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off”.

Earlier Saturday, Israel’s army said the country’s leaders had instructed it to prepare for the first phase of the US plan to end the war in Gaza.

Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike, said one official. The official said no forces have been removed from the territory.

But Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiyah told the Asso

See Full Page