The Palestinians seek an independent state in east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. A two-state solution is widely seen internationally as the only way to resolve the conflict, but the last serious peace talks broke down more than 15 years ago.

Israeli forces have taken over more than half of Gaza in a renewed campaign to pressure Hamas to release hostages after Israel ended their ceasefire last month.

Israel intends to keep all territories it has captured in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria under permanent military control. The army will remain in the occupied "security zones" to act as a buffer between hostile fighters and Israel "in any temporary or permanent reality" in those areas,

Hamas is “studying” an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza that would see 10 hostages released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, an official with the militant group told CNN.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has travelled to the northern Gaza Strip, his office announced on Tuesday. Further details and the reason for his visit to the embattled Palestinian territory were not initially disclosed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited northern Gaza on Tuesday, accompanied by the country's defense minister, head of the military and other senior officials, his office said.