Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government

Israel's recent approval of plans to construct 3,500 housing units in the occupied West Bank has ignited international criticism, with a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson condemning the move as alarming.

Israel has agreed to a cease-fire proposal brokered by the United States for the Gaza Strip, as reported by Reuters and AFP. Concurrently, thousands in Tel Aviv participated in another demonstration against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

The Israeli military's ground offensive in the Gaza Strip has concentrated on Khan Younis, the second-largest city in the region. Israeli forces claim to have discovered a tunnel in Khan Younis where hostages are being held by the Islamist group Hamas.

Israel and Hamas share common interests, and the Palestinian Islamists must stay in power in the Gaza Strip to prevent the enclave descending into chaos, an Israeli general was quoted as saying on May 12.