Israel and Gaza peace talks are caught between U.S. pressure and escalating civilian deaths, the latest ceasefire proposal lays bare the fragility of diplomacy in a war shaped by mutual distrust, shifting red lines,

Gaza Hamas has said it is ready to immediately begin indirect talks on the remaining “points of contention” in a US ceasefire and hostage deal proposal, as mediators vow to increase efforts to reach a truce in Gaza.

The U.S. government is awaiting a response from Hamas to a U.S. ceasefire proposal in Israel, which the Israeli government has already accepted.

The White House said Thursday that the U.S. has submitted a new Gaza ceasefire proposal that has Israeli support. Hamas officials gave the Israeli-approved draft a cool response, but said they wanted to study the proposal more closely before giving a formal answer.

Steve Witkoff stated in Washington on Wednesday that he has "some very good feelings about getting to a long-term resolution — a temporary ceasefire and a long-term resolution, a peaceful resolution of that conflict," adding that a new U.S. proposal would soon be presented to both parties.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mideast envoy expressed optimism about brokering an agreement to halt the Israel-Hamas war.

The recent Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar have not led anywhere yet, the Qatari prime minister said Tuesday, citing a "fundamental gap" between the two parties.

China signed a convention setting up an international organisation for mediation in Hong Kong on Friday that Beijing hopes will be on par with the International Court of Justice and bolster the city's international credentials.