There are renewed hopes for a ceasefire in Gaza, with Israeli negotiators headed to Qatar after Hamas agreed to drop some key demands and said it would consider a 40-day pause instead of a permanent ceasefire. Hamas has suffered a series of setbacks in the last week and is under increased pressure after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu announced he’d approved the invasion of Rafah – the militant group’s last stronghold and home to over one million displaced Palestinians. The first sea shipment of aid to Gaza arrived over the weekend, delivering nearly 200 tonnes of much-needed food. The Albanese Government has restored Australian visas for some Palestinians trying to leave Gaza and also reinstated funding to aid agency UNWRA after it was paused over allegations some staff were involved in the 7 October Hamas attack – a move the Coalition “does not support”.