JERUSALEM -- International diplomacy to prevent the war in Gaza from spreading into a wider regional conflict intensified Friday, with the British and French foreign ministers making a joint trip to Israel while internationally mediated cease-fire talks in Qatar were expected to enter their second day.

Renewed efforts to end the Israel-Hamas conflict gained momentum as the Palestinian death toll in Gaza surpassed 40,000 , according to Gaza health officials. Concerns remain high that Iran and Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon could retaliate against Israel for the deaths of key militant leaders.

“The Middle East is facing a perilous situation,” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated. “The risk of the situation escalating beyond control is growing. Any Iranian attack would have disastrous consequences for the region.”

Lammy and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné were scheduled to hold a joint meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

“It is never too late to pursue peace,” Séjourné emphasized. "We must make every effort to prevent a regional war, which would have catastrophic consequences.”

International mediators believe that the most promising path to de-escalation lies in a deal between Israel and Hamas to end the conflict and secure the release of the Israeli hostages .

On Thursday, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt engaged in another round of discussions with an Israeli delegation in Qatar.

Hamas, which did not directly participate in Thursday’s talks, claims Israel has added new conditions to a prior proposal that had U.S. and international support and to which Hamas had agreed in principle. Israel accuses Hamas of introducing its own new demands.

White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby referred to the talks as an important step. He emphasized that considerable work remains due to the complexity of the agreement and that negotiators were focused on its implementation.

A U.S. official briefed on Thursday’s talks described the discussion as “constructive.” The official was not authorized to speak publicly and did so on condition of anonymity.

Qatar said the talks would continue Friday.

The conflict began when Hamas-led militants crossed the heavily fortified border on Oct. 7, killing approximately 1,200 individuals, mainly civilians, and taking 250 people hostage in Gaza. More than 100 hostages were released during a weeklong ceasefire in November, and around 110 are believed to still be held within Gaza, although Israeli authorities estimate that roughly a third of them are deceased.

Israel’s forceful retaliatory offensive has resulted in the deaths of 40,005 Palestinians, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported Thursday, without specifying the number of militants . Israel’s military spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, stated Thursday that Israel had killed over 17,000 Hamas militants in Gaza during the conflict, but did not provide supporting evidence.

Diplomats were hopeful that a ceasefire agreement would persuade Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah to refrain from retaliating for the assassination of a top Hezbollah commander in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut and of Hamas’ top political leader in an explosion in Tehran that was widely attributed to Israel.

Kirby stated that Iran has made preparations and could launch an attack soon with little or no warning — and that its threats should be taken seriously.

The mediators have been working for months to finalize a three-stage plan where Hamas would release the hostages in exchange for a lasting truce, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Both sides have agreed in principle to the plan President Joe Biden outlined on May 31 . However, Hamas has proposed changes and Israel has suggested clarifications, leading each side to accuse the other of obstructing a deal.

Hamas has rejected Israel’s demands, which include a long-term military presence along the border with Egypt and a designated area within Gaza where they would search returning Palestinians to apprehend militants.

In a stark reminder of the violence spreading beyond Gaza, masked Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank stormed the village of Jit, setting homes and cars ablaze on Thursday, according to Israeli and Palestinian media. One Palestinian was shot dead and another critically wounded by the settlers, Palestinian health officials said.

This incident was the latest in a string of attacks by Israeli settlers since the conflict began. In the West Bank, 633 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces — most by Israeli incursions into Palestinian cities and towns.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack, stating that it was the responsibility of the army to protect the country, and that those responsible would be identified and brought to justice. Israel’s military announced that it has detained a civilian who participated in the violence and has initiated an investigation.

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This report was compiled with contributions from Associated Press journalists Julia Frankel in Jerusalem, Aamer Madhani in Washington, Brian Melley in London, and David Klepper in Chicago.

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For continuous updates on the conflict, visit AP's dedicated coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war