The order — which came during the Eid al-Fitr holiday — heralded renewed hardship for Palestinians in the southernmost city of Rafah, which has been battered by the war between Israel and Hamas. The war restarted two weeks ago after a monthslong cease-fire collapsed.

Israel has restarted airstrikes on the Gaza Strip as ceasefire talks and negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas have stalled. Israel launches airstrikes on Gaza in worst violence since January 19 ceasefire Gaza's Health Ministry says hundreds of Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes Israel cancels school in towns next to Gaza on

Israel has proposed an extended truce in Gaza in exchange for the return of about half the remaining hostages, Israeli officials said on Monday, as the military issued new evacuation orders and said "intense operations" were planned in the south of the enclave.

The Hamas militant group said Saturday it has accepted a new Gaza ceasefire proposal from mediators Egypt and Qatar, but Israel said it has made a counter-proposal in "full coordination" with the third mediator,

The Israeli military will expand its ground operation in Gaza to occupy 25% of the enclave over the next two to three weeks, a senior Israeli official said in a briefing with reporters on Monday. Why it matters: The Israeli official said the ground operation is part of a "maximum pressure" campaign aimed at forcing Hamas to agree to release more hostages.