JERUSALEM — The United States stepped up pressure for a cease-fire deal in Gaza on Monday as the secretary of state said a new proposal had been put to Hamas, whose officials were in Cairo talking to Egyptian mediators. Israeli airstrikes killed 26 people in the Gaza's southern town of Rafah, according to hospital records.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, ahead of a new visit to Israel this week, pressured Hamas to accept the latest proposal, calling it ''extraordinarily generous'' on the part of Israel.

Terms of the proposal were not made public, and it was not known if anything had changed on the main roadblock that U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators have repeatedly crashed against: the question of the extent of a cease-fire. During months of talks, meditators have often signaled major progress only to come out empty-handed.

Hamas demands that the release of all hostages bring a complete end to Israel's nearly seven-month assault in Gaza and a withdrawal of its troops from the devastated territory. Israel has offered only an extended pause, vowing to resume its offensive to destroy Hamas once the pause is over.

Israel says it plans to invade Rafah, Gaza's southernmost town where over 1 million Palestinians have sought shelter from fighting elsewhere. Its closest ally, the United States, and others have repeatedly warned against it, saying an offensive would cause a new surge in mass casualties in an offensive that has already killed more than 34,000 people.

Overnight and Monday morning, Israeli strikes flattened at least three homes where extended families of Palestinians were gathered, and the dead included nine women and six children, one of whom was just 5 days old, according to hospital records and an Associated Press reporter.

''Everyone was sleeping in their beds," said Mahmoud Abu Taha, whose cousin was killed with his wife and their year-old baby in one house where at least 10 died. ''They have nothing to do with anything, all of them are girls and women.''

Egypt has stepped up mediation efforts for a cease-fire deal in hopes of averting an Israeli ground assault on Rafah, which sits on Gaza's border with Egypt.

A Hamas delegation was in Cairo on Monday for talks over the new proposal. Talks have centered on a two-phase deal that would bring an initial halt in fighting with the release of some of the around 100 hostages Hamas is believed to still hold in return for the freeing of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, while talks are held for a second phase for the release of the rest, including soldiers.

An Egyptian official said Israel has lowered the number of hostages it wants freed in the first stage, down from its earlier demands for 40, though he did not specify the new number. Israel has also shown flexibility on allowing residents to return to northern Gaza, he said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal talks.

The official said the Israelis ''showed willingness'' to discuss establishing a sustainable cease-fire in Gaza as part of the second phase of the deal. ''They showed willingness (to discuss it) but not commitment,'' he said.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas or Israeli officials.

Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected Hamas demands for an end to the war and a troop withdrawal and says an offensive on Rafah is crucial to destroying the militants after their Oct. 7 attacks on Israel that triggered the war.

His government could also be threatened if he agrees to a deal, since hardline members of his Cabinet demand an attack on Rafah.

At the same time, Netanyahu faces pressure from the families of hostages still in captivity who are demanding a deal for their release.

On Monday, the families of two hostages — Keith Siegel and Omri Miran — urged both sides to reach an agreement, days after Hamas released a video showing the two men.

''I appeal to Sinwar, please approve this deal. And to the members of the (Israeli) Cabinet, please approve any deal,'' Omri's father Dany Miran said, referring to Yehiya Sinwar, the top Hamas official in Gaza. He spoke at a news conference in a square in Tel Aviv where supporters of hostage families regularly hold rallies.

Addressing Netanyahu, he said, ''Show leadership, leadership to your crying people and to the families (of the hostages). It's something you promised us before the election.''

Israeli officials, meanwhile, appeared increasingly concerned that the International Criminal Court may issue arrest warrants against the country's leaders.

It was not clear what sparked the Israeli concerns. The ICC launched a probe three years ago into possible war crimes committed by Israel and Palestinian militants going back to the 2014 Israel-Hamas war. The probe is also looking at Israel's construction of settlements in occupied territory the Palestinians want for a future state.

There was no comment from the court on Monday, and it has given no indication warrants in the case are imminent.

But Israel's Foreign Ministry said late Sunday that it had informed Israeli missions of ''rumors'' that warrants might be issued against senior political and military officials.

Netanyahu said Friday that Israel ''will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.''

Neither Israel nor the United States accept the ICC's jurisdiction, but any warrants could put Israeli officials at risk of arrest in other countries. They would also serve as a major rebuke of Israel's actions at a time when pro-Palestinian protests have spread across U.S. college campuses.

The International Court of Justice, a separate body, is investigating whether Israel has committed acts of genocide in the ongoing war in Gaza, with any ruling expected to take years. Israel has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and accused both international courts of bias.

In the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7 that triggered the war, militants stormed through army bases and farming communities across southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostages. Israel's massive air, sea and ground offensive in Gaza has killed at least 34,488 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.

Israel blames the high civilian death toll on Hamas because the militants fight from dense, residential areas. The military says it has killed over 12,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war has driven around 80% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million from their homes, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine.

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Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Michael Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington and Matthew Lee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributed.

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Follow AP's coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war