The United States is proposing a "bridge" plan to extend the ceasefire in Gaza into April beyond Ramadan and Passover and allow time to negotiate a permanent cessation of hostilities, the White House said in a statement on Friday.

The United States has put forward a new proposal that would secure the release of a handful of living hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a month-long extension of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, a source familiar with the negotiations said.

Hamas said Friday it agreed to release U.S.-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander and the bodies of four other Americans, following a proposal from mediators to resume

Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Qatar revolve around how to progress beyond the first stage of the three-phase ceasefire. View on euronews

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and National Security Council official Eric Tager presented the proposal in Qatar, according to a statement from their offices

Hamas said Friday that it agreed to release American Israeli hostage Edan Alexander and the bodies of four other Americans, following a proposal from mediators to resume negotiations with Israel over a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

An Israeli air strike killed four Palestinians in Gaza, the territory's civil emergency service said, as Arab mediators and the United States tried to hammer out differences between Hamas and Israel over a January 19 ceasefire agreement.

The announcement signaled a breakdown in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, the first phase of which expired Saturday with no clear next steps.

Hamas said on Friday it agreed to release an American-Israeli dual national, believed to be the last living American hostage held in Gaza, after receiving a proposal from mediators to continue negotiations on the second phase of a ceasefire deal.

Israeli fire has killed eight people in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours even as a fragile ceasefire with Hamas has largely held.