The 42-day truce between Israel and Hamas is set to expire this weekend unless an agreement is struck to extend it. The two sides were meant to begin talks on a permanent end to the war in early February;

Hamas says it is not willing to extend the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire, rejecting an Israeli request to delay negotiations on the second phase.

The first phase of the Israel-Hamas truce is due to expire on Saturday, but negotiations on the next stage, which should secure a permanent ceasefire, have so far been inconclusive.The ceasefire took effect on January 19 after more than 15 months of war sparked by Hamas's October 7,