A senior U.S. official says Israel has essentially endorsed a framework of a proposed Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal, and it is now up to Hamas to agree to it.

International mediators have been working for weeks to broker a deal to pause the fighting before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins around March 10. A deal would likely allow aid to reach hundreds of thousands of desperate Palestinians in northern Gaza who aid officials worry are under threat of famine.

The Israelis “have more or less accepted” the proposal, which includes the six-week cease-fire as well as the release by Hamas of hostages considered vulnerable, which includes the sick, the wounded, the elderly and women, said the official.

“Right now, the ball is in the court of Hamas and we are continuing to push this as hard as we possibly can,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House to brief reporters.

  • themoonisacheeseEnglish
    263·
    8 months ago

    Hamas was previously asking for a ceasefire in exchange for the release of all the hostages they held, for what that’s worth. Surely this deal is asking for, at worst for them, that.

    • underisk@lemmy.mlEnglish
      22·
      8 months ago

      They were asking for a permanent ceasefire though, right? This one seems pretty temporary.

    • NoneOfUrBusiness@kbin.social
      32·
      8 months ago

      No. This is a temporary ceasefire. Hamas has repeatedly refused they won’t accept one after the fucking mess that was the last one.