Hamas has rejected the Israeli ceasefire offer presented earlier this week, according to a senior Hamas official, instead calling for a “comprehensive” proposal to end the war.

Hamas is said to have rejected an Israeli proposal for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza which called for the armed group to give up its weapons.A senior Palestinian official familiar with the talks said the plan gave no commitment to end the war or for an Israeli troop pull-out - key Hamas demands - in exchange for releasing half of the living hostages which it holds.

Hamas' Gaza chief said the group was ready to immediately negotiate a deal to swap all hostages with an agreed number of Palestinians jailed by Israel within a deal that would end the war in the enclave.