Israel rejects Hamas ceasefire terms

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said they he believes his nation will deliver a "total victory" within months as he rejects Hamas's proposed ceasefire terms.

Hamas had presented a series of demands in response to an Israel backed ceasefire proposal. Netanyahu called these terms "bizarre", and said that negotiations were "not going anywhere".

"There is no other solution but a complete and final victory. If Hamas will survive in Gaza, it's only a question of time until the next massacre," Netanyahu told a press conference on Wednesday.

An Egyptian official has said they a fresh round of negotiations are to begin in Cairo on Thursday, sponsored by Egypt and Qatar. Egypt has called on all parties to show the necessary flexibility to reach a calm agreement.

A draft of the proposal was seen by Reuters, and apparently included a three phase plan.

Phase one: A 45-day pause in fighting during which all Israeli women hostages, males under 19, the elderly and sick would be exchanged for Palestinian women and children held in Israeli jails. Israeli forces would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza, and the reconstruction of hospitals and refugee camps would begin.

Phase two: Remaining male Israeli hostages would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and Israeli forces leave Gaza completely.

Phase three: Both sides would exchange remains and bodies.

The proposed deal would also see deliveries of food and other aid to Gaza increase. By the end of the 135-day pause in fighting, Hamas said negotiations to end the war would have concluded.

It's not clear whether these terms were laid out in the official demands, and we also don't know of anything that may have added or removed.