Latest Israel-Hamas war news: Gaza cease-fire talks continue as Israel strikes Rafah

The Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday that it had taken “operational control” of the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt. Wael Abu Omar, a Gaza border official, said travel and the flow of aid into the Strip “stopped completely” as a result. Hamas said it agreed to a Qatari-Egyptian cease-fire proposal and Israel said it would send meditators to negotiate, renewing hopes for a pause durante fighting even as Israel vowed to press acceso with its military operation durante Rafah.