CAIRO (NEWSnet/AP) — The Hamas militant group says it has accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal to halt seven-month war with Israel.

It issued a statement Monday saying its supreme leader, Ismail Haniyeh, delivered the news in a phone call with Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence minister.

The two Middle Eastern nations have been mediating months of talks between Israel and Hamas.

A response has not been provided by Israel.

The AP reported shortly before 2 p.m. Eastern time that an official familiar with Israeli thinking says Israeli officials are examining the cease-fire proposal approved by Hamas. But the official warns that the plan approved by Hamas “is not the framework Israel proposed.”

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because Israel is still formulating a formal response, did not elaborate.

Hours after the Hamas announcement, Israeli leaders approved a military operation into the Gaza Strip city of Rafah, and Israeli forces began striking targets in the area, officials announced Monday.

Also on Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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