The Hamas militant group said Saturday it has accepted a new Gaza ceasefire proposal from mediators Egypt and Qatar, but Israel said it has made a counter-proposal in "full coordination" with the third mediator, the United States.

It comes as Israeli forces launched a ground operation in Rafah and continued air strikes across Gaza Strip after a ceasefire which had come into force on 19 January ended earlier this month. Both sides had been unable to agree to a second phase of the deal after the first ended.

Hamas has agreed to a Gaza ceasefire proposal it received two days ago from mediators Egypt and Qatar, the Palestinian militant group's chief said on Saturday.