May 6, 2024 Israel-Hamas war

Indirect ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas will continue on Tuesday, with a Qatari delegation heading to Cairo, according to the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Spokesperson Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari said in a statement early Tuesday (local time) that the continued negotiations come after Hamas sent a response about a possible proposal, which "can be described as positive."

Al-Ansari expressed Qatar's "hope that the talks will culminate in reaching an agreement for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners and detainees, and the sustainable flow of humanitarian aid into all areas of the Strip."

There have been international calls for an agreement to be reached on a ceasefire and hostage release deal. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday called on the Israeli government and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire deal after Hamas said it accepted a deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar.

The Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi also expressed his hope for a deal to be met on X.

Israeli forces are going to take over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing in the next few hours, according to CNN political and global affairs analyst Barak Ravid, citing two sources with direct knowledge.

Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the "necessary requirements."

This comes after the Israeli military called on Palestinians living in parts of eastern Rafah to "evacuate immediately." During nearly seven months of war, more than 1 million Palestinians have fled to the southern city. The US expressed concerns about the evacuations.

Here's what to know about Hamas' response, the framework and more:

Hamas said it would not back down from its demands in the proposal it agreed to, according to a news release on Monday.

Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas' political bureau, spoke with Islamic Jihad Secretary-General Ziyad al-Nakhalah, discussing the proposed ceasefire agreement it received from the mediators two days ago, according to the Hamas statement.

There were “significant gaps” between Israel and Hamas, Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz said Monday after Hamas accepted a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal mediated by Qatar and Egypt.

Working for the return of Israeli hostages is a "war goal" and a "supreme moral duty," he added.

“The negotiating team and the professionals continue to work every minute and every moment. ... Every decision will be brought to the War Cabinet — there will be no political consideration.”

Hamas on Monday agreed to a framework proposal, which diverges from the one Israel had helped craft with Egypt more than a week ago, a senior Israeli and senior US official said.

The latest proposal calls for an end to the war, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will not accept, the senior American official said.

The senior Israeli official said the Israeli government was sending a working-level delegation to meet with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in order to better understand the latest proposal and determine whether a deal can be forged.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on the Israeli government and Hamas leadership to agree to a ceasefire deal after Hamas said it has accepted a deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar.

He urged the parties to "go the extra mile needed to make an agreement come true and stop the present suffering," according to a statement issued by Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary general.

Guterres also voiced concern over Israel's military operations in Rafah.

Palestinians leaving eastern Rafah after the Israel Defense Forces called on people to evacuate have been describing their fear and despair to a CNN stringer in the area.

Mohammed Ghanem and his wife were pushing strollers piled high with belongings.

Faisal Barbakh was on a bicycle:

Videos from the area showed trucks full of people's belongings driving through the streets, which became increasingly crowded as the day wore on.

Malek and Yousef, two boys, were making their way out on bicycles, carrying their bags. One said:

Many of those leaving have been previously displaced. One man told CNN it's his fourth time being displaced.

"From Nuseirat to Khan Younis, then to Rafah, and now another one. I don't know where I am heading."

The UN human rights chief Volker Türk has called Israel's demand for Palestinians to relocate from Rafah in southern Gaza as inhumane.

Türk criticized Israel for "forcibly relocating" hundreds of thousands of people to areas already heavily destroyed and where there is little shelter and virtually no access to humanitarian assistance necessary for their survival." He added that there is nowhere safe outside of Rafah.

He also warned that those who don't comply with international human rights laws must be held accountable.