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A melted watch frozen in time during the Hiroshima bombing has been sold for more than $31,000 (£24,000) at auction.

The wristwatch shows the exact moment the atomic bomb was detonated over the Japanese city, at 8.15am on 6 August 1945, during the final days of the Second World War, according to Boston-based auction house, RR Auction.

The brass-toned timepiece is believed to have been recovered from the ruins of the blast zone by a British soldier on a mission to provide emergency supplies and assess the damage.

It fetched a total of $31,113 (£24,550) at auction on Thursday, with a number of other historically significant items also listed.

Despite the cloudiness of the crystal, the watch’s hands remain at 8.15am, when the B-29 Enola Gay dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb.

It is an eerie reminder of the devastating destruction triggered by the first atomic bomb to be detonated over a city.

RR Auction executive vice president, Bobby Livingston, said: “It is our fervent hope that this museum-quality piece will stand as a poignant educational symbol, serving not only to remind us of the tolls of war, but also to underscore the profound destructive capabilities that humanity must strive to avoid.

“The wristwatch, for instance, marks the exact moment in time when history changed forever.”

The winning bidder of the artefact has chosen to remain anonymous.

Also under the hammer at the auction was a signed copy of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong’s “The Little Red Book,” which sold for $250,000 (£197,000).

A cheque signed by former US president George Washington – one of just two known cheques signed as president to ever come to market – went for more than $135,000 (£107,000).

Meanwhile, Buzz Aldrin’s Apollo 11 lunar module prep checklist was bought for more than $76,500 (£60,000), the auction house said.

Read more on Sky News:
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Earlier this week, a collection of Anglo-Saxon pennies fetched more than £325,000 at auction.

The coins are believed to have been buried in 1066, centuries before they were discovered by two metal detectorists.

An extremely rare 1978 Star Wars Jawa figure – believed to be among just 10-15 left in the world – attracted a winning bid of £21,000 at auction in January.

A melted watch frozen in time during the Hiroshima bombing has been sold for more than $31,000 (£24,000) at auction.

The wristwatch shows the exact moment the atomic bomb was detonated over the Japanese city, at 8.15am on 6 August 1945, during the final days of the Second World War, according to Boston-based auction house, RR Auction.

The brass-toned timepiece is believed to have been recovered from the ruins of the blast zone by a British soldier on a mission to provide emergency supplies and assess the damage.

It fetched a total of $31,113 (£24,550) at auction on Thursday, with a number of other historically significant items also listed.

Despite the cloudiness of the crystal, the watch’s hands remain at 8.15am, when the B-29 Enola Gay dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb.

It is an eerie reminder of the devastating destruction triggered by the first atomic bomb to be detonated over a city.

RR Auction executive vice president, Bobby Livingston, said: “It is our fervent hope that this museum-quality piece will stand as a poignant educational symbol, serving not only to remind us of the tolls of war, but also to underscore the profound destructive capabilities that humanity must strive to avoid.

“The wristwatch, for instance, marks the exact moment in time when history changed forever.”

The winning bidder of the artefact has chosen to remain anonymous.

Also under the hammer at the auction was a signed copy of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong’s “The Little Red Book,” which sold for $250,000 (£197,000).

A cheque signed by former US president George Washington – one of just two known cheques signed as president to ever come to market – went for more than $135,000 (£107,000).

Meanwhile, Buzz Aldrin’s Apollo 11 lunar module prep checklist was bought for more than $76,500 (£60,000), the auction house said.

Read more on Sky News:
Military vehicle carries unexploded WW2 bomb through UK city
Treasure hunting on the rise as number of finds hits record high

Earlier this week, a collection of Anglo-Saxon pennies fetched more than £325,000 at auction.

The coins are believed to have been buried in 1066, centuries before they were discovered by two metal detectorists.

An extremely rare 1978 Star Wars Jawa figure – believed to be among just 10-15 left in the world – attracted a winning bid of £21,000 at auction in January.

Israel wants open-ended control over security and civilian affairs in the Gaza Strip, according to a long-awaited post-war plan drawn up by Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israeli prime minister presented the two-page document to his security cabinet late on Thursday for approval.

But it was swiftly rejected by Palestinian leaders and flies in the face of Washington’s vision for the besieged enclave.

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Divisions over Gaza’s future have led to heightened public tensions between Israel and the United States, its closest ally.

The Biden administration is seeking eventual Palestinian governance in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank as a precursor to statehood and a two-state solution – an outcome strongly opposed by Mr Netanyahu and his right-wing government.

Mr Netanyahu’s plan envisions hand-picked Palestinians in Gaza administering the territory.

Meanwhile, ceasefire efforts appeared to gain traction, with mediators to present a new proposal at an expected high-level meeting this weekend in Paris.

The US, Egypt and Qatar have been struggling for weeks to strike an agreement that could halt Israel’s devastating offensive in Gaza, triggered by the deadly Hamas massacre on 7 October that left some 1,200 people dead and saw 250 others taken hostage.

The Israeli military operation in response has now killed more than 29,500 Palestinians, with close to 70,000 people wounded, Gaza health officials have said.

Mr Netanyahu’s plan, while lacking specifics, is the first time he has presented a formal post-war vision.

It reiterated Israel’s determination to crush Hamas, the militant group that overran the Gaza Strip in 2007.

Polls have indicated a majority of Palestinians do not support Hamas, but it has deep roots in Palestinian society.

Critics, including some in Israel, say the goal of eliminating the group is unachievable.

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Mr Netanyahu’s plan calls for freedom of action for Israel’s military across a demilitarised Gaza after the war to tackle any security threat.

It would also establish a buffer zone inside Gaza, which is likely to provoke US objections.

The plan sees Gaza being governed by local officials who it says would “not be identified with countries or entities that support terrorism and will not receive payment from them”.

It is not clear if any Palestinians would agree to such roles.

Over the past decades, Israel has repeatedly tried and failed to set up hand-picked local Palestinian governing bodies.

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The Palestinian Authority, which administers pockets of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has denounced Mr Netanyahu’s plan as “colonialist and racist”, saying it would amount to Israeli reoccupation of Gaza.

Israel withdrew its soldiers and settlers from Gaza in 2005, but maintained control of access to the territory.

The White House wants to see a reformed Palestinian Authority govern both Gaza and the West Bank as a step towards Palestinian statehood.

The US has sought to reduce Mr Netanyahu’s resistance by holding out the prospect of the normalisation of ties between Israel and Arab powerhouse Saudi Arabia.