Gaza City: Hamas has appealed to Israel to suspend its air strikes on Gaza City for 24 hours as they search for two Israeli hostages whose whereabouts became unknown amid the recent intensified Israeli military operations. The armed wing of Hamas, the al-Qassam Brigades, has requested this temporary halt in hostilities to facilitate the safe retrieval of the hostages, Matan Angrest and Omri Miran, who went missing during the operations.

According to France24.com, the request for a ceasefire comes as the conflict's death toll has surpassed 66,000, as reported by Gaza's health ministry. The ministry noted that 79 individuals had been brought to hospitals in just the last day. The health ministry's figures, which are considered reliable by the UN and other experts, do not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties but indicate that women and children constitute about half of the fatalities.

Residents of Gaza City described hearing continuous explosions, attributed to building demolitions via explosive devices, throughout the night. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have intensified their presence in Gaza, pushing deeper into residential areas.

As the military operations continue, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss potential resolutions to the ongoing conflict. Netanyahu faces mounting international pressure to cease military actions, with the EU contemplating sanctions and cultural boycotts against Israel, and several countries have acknowledged Palestinian statehood over Israeli objections.

Trump, who has generally supported Israel, has recently demonstrated impatience with the ongoing conflict, particularly after Israel's bombing of Qatar. The White House meeting is expected to include discussions on a new proposal for a ceasefire, which includes the release of all hostages and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces.

The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, is also expected to visit Cairo to engage in diplomatic talks with Egyptian officials. This visit, described as part of routine consultations, aims to maintain dialogue with regional partners and address the strained relations between Israel and Egypt due to the ongoing conflict.