Israel-Hamas war: Israel proposes 2-month cease-fire in exchange for all remaining hostages

An image released by the Israel Defense Forces shows soldiers during ground operations at an undisclosed location in the Gaza Strip yesterday.

The IDF described its operations in Khan Younis in south Gaza as "more challenging" than Gaza City, following bombardments that forced displaced Palestinians to again flee their locations.

In a statement today, Israel's military said it launched a "divisional maneuver" in the western part of the city, where it alleges Hamas has military framework. But the density of the city — compounded by the fact that many north Gaza residents were forced to seek shelter south — requires the IDF to engage in what it said were "very specific methods of action and precise operations."

"What is true for Gaza City is not necessarily true for this area," the IDF said. "We prepared several strategies and a number of means for operational activity. "

The IDF said it will continue its operation in Khan Younis for "several days. "

Strikes by the U.S. and U.K. in Yemen targeted Houthi underground storage facilities and other locations associated with the group, both countries said in a statement.

The attacks were described as "precision" strikes focused on disrupting Houthi capabilities as the rebels continually attack international shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Other countries included in today's statement were the governments of Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands.

"Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats," the statement said.

Yemen's Houthi rebels, an Iran-backed group recently designated a terror organization by the U.S., have said the attacks focus on vessels believed to be supporting Israel. The group has repeatedly explained its actions in statements by expressing solidarity with Palestinians and vowed to continue the attacks in the surrounding waters until Israel lifts its siege on Gaza.

Pediatric doctors told NBC News they were concerned about the spread of hepatitis and other diseases among young children in southern Gaza.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Farra, the head of the pediatric unit at Nasser Hospital, said the lack of medical supplies, poor sanitation conditions and overcrowding are also leading to serious cases of gastroenteritis.

The U.S. and British military are carrying out their second round of strikes against targets in Yemen, according to defense officials.

The two countries hit the Houthis for the first time on Jan. 11, an escalation after a series of Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. Today's strikes are being carried out by manned aircraft and from ships, according to the officials.

Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political bureau, acknowledged the attacks in a post on X.

"Now, American-British air strikes on Sanaa, and the sound of planes and explosions is heard," he wrote. "No matter how much they bomb, our military operations against Israel will continue until the genocide crimes in Gaza are stopped and food, medicine and fuel are allowed to enter its besieged population."

NEAR KHAN YOUNIS — Mariam Abu Haleeb and her family were on the move again on Monday, the seventh time they had been displaced in less than four months of war.

She and other Gazans, their cars and donkey carts piled high with belongings, fled what they said was a terrifying night at the al-Aqsa university in the west of Khan Younis, where they had taken shelter after being told again it was risky to stay put.

They had no idea where to go next.

“What hurts me most is that my old mother is under siege. My siblings and their children are besieged. Everyone, everyone. All of Khan Younis needed help yesterday,” she said.

“This is the seventh time I’ve been displaced, or maybe even more. Torture, torture, torture,” she said, weeping.

TEL AVIV — Israel's government has proposed a pause in fighting in Gaza for two months in exchange for the release of all the remaining hostages, which is estimated to be more than 130 people, an Israeli official told NBC News.

A second Israeli official said more than 25 of the hostages are dead, but the government wants Hamas to return their bodies. The proposed deal was first reported by Axios, which noted the plan would be to release hostages in stages starting with those over 60 years old and in dire medical condition.

An Israeli government official said that while Israel has offered the two-month pause, he is not sure if a deal will be possible.

“We have to wait and see,” the official said.

NBC News reported yesterday that hostage talks were at an impasse over Hamas’ demand for a permanent cease-fire.

A Hamas official told NBC News Sunday it would not accept any deal without the promise of a permanent cease-fire.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that agreeing to end the war means Israel "will not be able to guarantee the security of our citizens." He said he would not agree to it and that only "complete victory" would secure both the release of hostages and Hamas' elimination.

Leaders at the World Health Organization and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies called for the protection of Al-Amal Hospital today after repeated bombardments in Khan Younis.

Jagan Chapagain, CEO of the IFRC, said he was very concerned over reports of shelling at Al-Amal, which is operated by the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

"This increases the risks to the lives of staff & volunteers of PRCS significantly as they work 24/7 to assist those in humanitarian need," he wrote on X. "I repeat my call to ensure protection of civilians, humanitarian aid workers, ambulances, and health facilities."

Two Navy SEALs who were declared dead yesterday after a 10-day search and rescue mission off the coast of Somalia have been named.

Christopher J. Chambers, 27, and Nathan Gage Ingram, 37, were lost in nighttime seas Jan. 11 while they were conducting a seizure of a vessel "illegally transporting advanced lethal aid from Iran to resupply Houthi forces in Yemen," according to a statement from the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command.

The Iran-backed Houthis have been striking commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden for weeks, in support of the Hamas militants in their battle against Israel. The attacks have prompted retaliatory strikes by the U.S. and its allies to protect global trade in the area.

Two U.S. defense officials told NBC News one of the SEALs had tried to board the vessel in rough seas and fell into the water. The second dived in after the first, as is protocol, the officials said.

The command called Chambers and Ingram "exceptional warriors, cherished teammates, and dear friends to many within the Naval Special Warfare community," adding that their loss is "devastating" for the force.

The incident remains under investigation, the command's statement added.

Graphic scenes from a hospital in Khan Younis illustrated the human cost of Sunday night’s fierce bombardment of the southern Gaza city.

Another communications blackout is compounding the danger for Palestine Red Crescent Society teams as Israel bombards Khan Younis, where its Al Amal hospital is located, the organization said.

"Ambulance teams face significant difficulties in reaching the wounded and injured due to the continuous bombardment in the governorate," PRCS said on X today. "The latest updates from our teams in the #Gaza operations room indicate ongoing interference and continuous disruptions in wireless communication."

Earlier today, telecommunications company Paltel said services were down for the 10th time since the war began.

A representative for the State Department said officials were "devastated" over the fatal shooting of Tawfic Hafeth Abdel Jabbar, a 17-year-old Palestinian who was killed on Friday in the West Bank.

George Noll, chief of the Office of Palestinian Affairs, visited Jabbar's family and offered condolences on behalf of the United States, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said during a briefing today.

Officials have been speaking with Israeli counterparts and urged an investigation into the shooting, according to Patel. He added that he was "not able to speak to the circumstances around his death" but that the department has asked Israel's government for all pertinent information into the case.

"We also have been clear for quite some time over the tragic escalation in violence in the West Bank and call on all parties to avoid escalations," Patel said.

TEL AVIV — Two people were arrested over an alleged plot to carry out a terrorist attack in Jerusalem, according to a joint statement from Israel police and Shin Bet, the country's internal security service.

The two people involved had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State militant group, known as ISIS, the authorities said. They allegedly purchased chemicals in order to prepare explosives in an attack on civilians and police in the Jerusalem area.

"The police and the Shin Bet revealed their intentions, and arrested them before they carried out the attacks," the joint statement said. "Today, an indictment will be filed against them by the prosecutor's office."

JERUSALEM — Iran is “very directly involved” in ship attacks that Yemen’s Houthi rebels have carried out, the U.S. Navy’s top Mideast commander said Monday.

Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of the Navy’s 5th Fleet, stopped short of saying Tehran directed individual attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

But he acknowledged the attacks have expanded from previously threatening just the Persian Gulf and its Strait of Hormuz into waters across the wider Middle East.

More than 50,000 tons of household and medical waste has overflowed into the streets and beaches of Gaza City, the local government's municipality office said in a statement today.

Combined with a significant water shortage, the situation was contributing to a “humanitarian disaster” for residents of the city in the northern Gaza Strip, the statement said.

It added that the amount of waste could lead to “the spread of many serious diseases and epidemics that are difficult to treat if not addressed urgently.”

The office also flagged “the dangerous situation” in a rainwater collection pond, where “the destruction of power generators, facilities and fences by the occupation has exacerbated the problem.”

Families of Israeli hostages camped out by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s house in Caesarea and said they plan to stay there until he meets with them.

"We will not leave him until the hostages are back," said Eli Shtivi, whose son Idan remains in Hamas captivity.

TEL AVIV — The IDF condemned a protest reported to have been held by military reservists criticizing the decision to pull them out of Gaza before a clear “resolution” to the war had been reached. 

A row of armored vehicles can be seen in footage of the incident with signs saying: “We too were released without resolution,” The Times of Israel reported. 

The IDF said in a statement Monday that it was investigating footage released of "reservists protesting during active reserve duty using military equipment."

"The actions seen in the video are contrary to IDF policy and have no place in the IDF, neither in routine nor in war," it said.

TEL AVIV — A Chicago doctor who is in Gaza to provide treatment to civilians described a "horrible day" after the Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 50 people were killed and more than 100 injured in Israeli strikes on Khan Younis.

Dr. Zaher Sahloul, president of MedGlobal, an organization that provides a medical response to humanitarian crises, said most medical staff and patients had fled Al Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, while many newly injured patients were brought in after the strikes and had "no staff to treat them."

"Many injured are under the rubble and no way to reach them," he said in a WhatsApp message to NBC News.

Sahloul described a "mass exodus" of hundreds of people from the hospital and the city, sharing video of families fleeing south to Rafah.

"Roads are crowded with families leaving by all means," he said.

Danish shipping giant Maersk will divert vessels away from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and around the Cape of Good Hope, the company said in an advisory to clients today.

Maersk's ME2 container service links Italy and the western Mediterranean Sea to the east coast of India and the United Arab Emirates.

The announcement comes amid escalating attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen and retaliatory strikes by Washington and its allies.

The strikes by the Houthis, who say they are carrying them out in support of the people of Gaza, have disrupted global trade and raised fears that Israel's war with Hamas could spread across the Middle East.

Palestinian families fleeing the city of Khan Younis by horse and cart along the coastal road leading to Rafah, southern Gaza today amid ongoing battles between Israeli forces and the Hamas militant group.

The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, currently besieged by Israel in its war against militant group Hamas, "could not be worse," the European Union's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, said today.

"There are no words to explain how the situation is," he said at the monthly gathering of E.U. foreign ministers in Brussels. "With hundreds of thousands without anything: without shelters, without food, with medicines — and under the bombs."

Israel’s plan to destroy Hamas in Gaza is not working and the E.U. must pursue efforts to create a “two-state solution” despite Israeli opposition, Borrell added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed yesterday a hard line against any Palestinian state, saying it would pose “an existential danger” to Israel.

Dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah yesterday, blocking the street at the annual event. Many held posters and chanted their support for the people of Gaza.

TEL AVIV — Netanyahu told the families of hostages held by Hamas that there is “no real proposal” from Hamas for a deal to free their relatives, his office said in a news release today.

After meeting them in his Jerusalem office, he told them he wanted to “say this as clearly as I can because there are so many false things that must be tormenting you,” the release said.

“In contrast, there is an initiative of ours,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying, although he added that he would “not elaborate” on this. It was not immediately clear what initiative the Israeli prime minister was referring to.

His meeting with the families came amid mounting pressure for his government to do more to negotiate a deal with Hamas and secure the release of around 130 hostages who remain held in Gaza after others were brought home in a November truce.

TEL AVIV — A group of relatives of hostages held by Hamas stormed a parliamentary committee session at Israel’s Knesset today and demanded that the government do more to secure the release of their loved ones.

Wearing shirts emblazoned with the words, “Bring them home now,” the group of around 20 people chanted and held posters of their loved ones after they entered the room where the finance committee was holding a discussion.

Others shouted angrily at the lawmakers in the meeting.

“We came here because we can’t live anymore,” Gil Dickmann, cousin of hostage Carmel Gat, told NBC News. “Our life stopped. The parliament must stop everything and bring all the hostages home.”

Pediatric doctors told NBC News yesterday that they were concerned about the spread of the hepatitis C virus and other diseases among young children in southern Gaza.

“We are seeing many cases of hepatitis C,” Dr. Bessam Hamouda said as he treated patients in the children’s ward of Rafah's El Najar Hospital.

“It spreads in the packed and the difficult conditions the Palestinian people are in, displaced, tents and the big number of children and the pollution around them. This is a virus which contaminates children in particular,” he added.

Over the last couple of weeks he said there had been a signficant spike in hepatitis C cases, Hamouda said, adding that he had seen at least 20 to 30 on a daily basis.

An “armed terrorist cell” was destroyed by an airstrikes as it advanced toward Israeli troops in Gaza, the country’s military said in a statement today.

Another group who attempted to ambush its troops were also identified and struck by an aircraft in a joint ground and aerial operation, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.  It added that another “armed terrorist cell” was eliminated in northern Gaza.

NBC News could not independently verify Israeli's claims or confirm who the targeted people were.

Ambulances were unable to reach the wounded in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza today because Israeli forces were “besieging” one of its centers and targeting anyone attempting to move in the area, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said on X.

In an earlier post, it said that it had completely lost contact with its teams near the city's Al Amal Hospital where Israeli tanks were stationed nearby.

Separately, Gaza’s Health Ministry said today that Israel was preventing ambulances from retrieving the dead and wounded to the west of Khan Younis.

NBC News could not independently verify the claims.

A protester threw papers onto an Australian Open court and briefly delayed the fourth-round match between Olympic champion Alexander Zverev and Cameron Norrie of Britain today.

A person wearing a blue shirt and cap and a mask threw anti-war pamphlets from the stands onto the court behind the baseline during the sixth game of the third set on Margaret Court Arena.

Printed in black on the white pages was the message “Free Palestine” and “While you’re watching tennis bombs are dropping on Gaza.”

Ball kids gathered up the papers and the match continued after a short delay. Security escorted the protester away. Tennis Australia said it was awaiting more information before commenting.

TEL AVIV — Family members of hostages who remain in Hamas’ captivity rallied outside Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem last night, calling on his government to urgently negotiate a deal to see their loved ones released.

“The idea is to have a presence there and to make sure that we’re staying front and center for him,” Jon Polin told NBC News in a phone call today.

Polin, whose son Hersh, 23, was taken captive at the Supernova music festival on Oct. 7, added, “We are looking for him to prioritize the hostage issue and get a deal done.”

Some demonstrators pitched tents outside Netanyahu's home and planned to camp out outside Netanyahu's house, Polin said.

TEL AVIV — Talks over the release of hostages in Gaza remain at an impasse over Hamas’ demand for a permanent cease-fire, a diplomat with knowledge of the talks told NBC News. 

American, Qatari and Egyptian officials continue to push for an agreement that would free an estimated 130 captives believed to remain in Gaza, most likely hidden underground in tunnels or in private homes.

Hamas is demanding the permanent halt of fighting, a complete withdrawal of Israel forces from Gaza and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including some who carried out the Oct. 7 attack, according to Israeli officials.

A Hamas official said in an interview that the group will not move forward with anything until it has a promise that the war will stop and all Israeli troops will leave Gaza. “This is the core of the discussion,” the Hamas official said.

Read the full story here.

Smoke billows over buildings in Khan Younis after an Israeli bombardment this morning, as seen from the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

• Hostage talks continue as Israel rejects Hamas demand for full IDF withdrawal and a permanent cease-fire
• A Louisiana teen traveled to the West Bank to learn about his roots. He was shot dead.
• In Rafah, baby Tala’s survival was a miracle. Her death 18 days later was a nightmare.
• Pro-Israel lawmakers in both parties are losing confidence in Netanyahu