Progress in Gaza Truce Talks

Talks in Cairo towards a Gaza truce and hostage release deal have made "significant progress", Egyptian state-linked media reported, more than half a year into the war started by the October 7 attack.

Israel kept up the pressure, warning that it was ready for future military operations against Hamas in Gaza's far-southern city of Rafah, the last area so far spared a ground invasion.

Israel pulled its forces out of the southern Gaza Strip and the main city there, Khan Yunis, allowing large numbers of displaced Palestinians to return to the devastated urban area.

But Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stressed that the aim was for Israeli forces "to prepare for future missions, including in Rafah" on the Egyptian border.

But, as truce talks resumed, Netanyahu also told his cabinet that "Israel is ready for a deal", adding that "there will be no ceasefire without the return of hostages".

International pressure has mounted on Israel to end the war which has brought mass civilian casualties and destroyed swathes of the coastal Palestinian territory.

While Israel and Hamas have kept up bellicose rhetoric, they have also sent negotiators to Cairo, joined by mediators from the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

Israel's 98th commando division withdrew from Khan Yunis and left Gaza "in order to recuperate and prepare for future operations," the army said.

After troops left the largely destroyed city, a stream of displaced Palestinians walked there, hoping to return to their homes from temporary shelters in Rafah, a little further south.

The war was sparked by the October 7 attack against Israel by Hamas militants that resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, Israeli figures show.

Aid trucks entered Gaza via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and medical supplies were brought in via Israel's Erez crossing in the north.