Hamas has received Israel's official response to its recent ceasefire proposal and will review it before providing a reply, announced Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas's deputy Gaza chief based in Qatar. The response, received on Saturday, pertains to a proposal presented by Hamas to Egyptian and Qatari mediators on April 13. Negotiations between Hamas and Israel, ongoing for over six months amidst conflict in Gaza, remain at an impasse with Hamas maintaining its stance that any agreement must definitively end the war.

An Egyptian delegation visited Israel on Friday for discussions with Israeli officials, seeking to revive talks aimed at ending the conflict and securing the release of remaining hostages taken during a Hamas incursion into Israeli towns on October 7. According to an official familiar with the discussions, Israel did not put forth new proposals but expressed readiness to consider a partial truce involving the release of 33 hostages by Hamas, as opposed to the previously discussed 40.

On Thursday, the United States and 17 other nations urged Hamas to release all hostages as a step towards resolving the crisis. Despite international pressure, Hamas has declared its determination not to yield but indicated openness to ideas or proposals that address the needs and rights of the Palestinian people.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan expressed optimism on Friday about progress in talks to end the conflict and secure the release of remaining hostages.

Meanwhile, reports from Israeli sources suggested that Israel informed Egyptian mediators on Friday of its readiness to give negotiations over hostages "one final opportunity" to reach an agreement with Hamas before considering further actions, possibly including an invasion of Rafah, which is home to around a million Palestinians who sought refuge from Israeli forces during earlier stages of the conflict in Gaza.

In a separate development, Palestinian health officials in Rafah reported casualties from an Israeli airstrike on a house, resulting in the deaths of at least five people and injuries to others.

The conflict began when Hamas fighters entered Israeli towns on October 7, resulting in casualties and hostage-taking. Israel has vowed a sustained campaign against Hamas, leading to significant Palestinian casualties.