A senior Hamas official told AFP on Thursday that the group had told Egyptian officials it was ready to stop fighting in Gaza if Israel committed to a ceasefire deal.

The official said a Hamas delegation discussed “ideas and proposals” related to a Gaza truce with Egyptian officials in Cairo on Thursday, adding that “Hamas has expressed readiness to stop the fighting, but Israel must commit to a ceasefire, withdraw from the Gaza Strip, allow the return of displaced people, agree to a serious prisoner exchange deal and allow the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”

The Israeli army said on Thursday that four of its soldiers were killed fighting in southern Lebanon, where the military has been battling Hezbollah forces for weeks.

The Israeli army provided the names of the four soldiers in a statement, saying the troops “fell during combat in southern Lebanon” on Wednesday.

The death toll among Israeli troops fighting in southern Lebanon has risen to 26 since the military launched a ground operation in late September, according to an AFP tally based on official military figures.

The war in Lebanon erupted last month, nearly a year after the start of cross-border clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

Hezbollah began launching rockets at Israel from October 8, 2023, in support of Hamas after the Palestinian militant group launched its unprecedented attack on Israel.