Israel has accepted a new U.S. proposal for a temporary ceasefire with Hamas, the White House said Thursday.The fresh signs of progress towards a temporary truce came after U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, expressed optimism earlier this week about brokering an agreement to halt the Israel-Hamas war and return more of the hostages captured in the attack that ignited it.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Israel “backed and supported” the new proposal. She added that Hamas continues to evaluate the proposal.Hamas has said it had agreed with Witkoff on a “general framework” of an agreement that would lead to a lasting ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, an influx of aid, and a transfer of power from the militant group to a politically independent committee of Palestinians.Here’s what’s known about the emerging negotiations that aim to bring about an extended truce in the …