Israel says Hamas hostage proposals "unrealistic", delegation to go to Qatar

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office described the latest proposals for a hostage deal by the Islamist movement Hamas as unrealistic on Friday but said a delegation would leave for Qatar to discuss Israel's position on a potential agreement.

It said Netanyahu had approved plans for a military operation in Rafah, the southern Gaza city where more than a million people are sheltering, and said the army was preparing operational issues and the evacuation of the civilian population.