Hamas is expected to respond soon to a proposal that includes hostage releases

A senior Hamas official said Friday the group will respond "very soon" to a proposal that includes extended pauses in Gaza fighting and phased exchanges of Hamas-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.

Hamas and other fighters in Gaza are holding dozens of hostages, after having abducted about 250 during their deadly 7 Oct attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and sparked Israel's blistering offensive on the enclave. More than 100 hostages were released during a one-week truce in November, in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

Over 27,000 people have been killed and 66,000 wounded by Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza, the territory's Health Ministry said Thursday. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths, but says most of those killed were women and children.

Israel's war in Gaza threatens to spill over into neighboring countries, despite persistent efforts by top officials around the globe to tamp down regional tensions.

On Friday, the US military began an air assault on sites in Iraq and Syria that are used by Iranian-back militias in retaliation to the drone strike that killed three US troops in Jordan last weekend, officials told The Associated Press. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations not yet made public. The strikes come after President Joe Biden and other US leaders warned the US would strike back at the militias in what would be a "tiered response" over time.