Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israel's Nir Oz kibbutz near the Gaza Strip on Thursday for the first time since Hamas militants penetrated the border and killed or kidnapped nearly one in four residents nearly 21 months ago.

Gideon Saar, the Israeli foreign minister, cited “positive signs” in the long-moribund cease-fire talks to end the war in Gaza and free the hostages held there.

Israel is intensifying military operations in one of the last Hamas strongholds in Gaza, as the sides stake out positions before ceasefire negotiations proposed by US President Donald Trump.The escalation comes as Hamas weighs  a call by Trump to enter a 60—day ceasefire during which it would return half of the 50 hostages it still holds and pursue mediated talks with Israel to end the war.

The U.S. President said Israel “agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize” a 60-day ceasefire, “during which time we will work with all parties to end the war.”

Israel confirmed that it agreed to a ceasefire proposal by President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, a day after Trump said the country had “agreed to the necessary conditions” for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza.