A senior figure in the American government said on Saturday evening that Israel had agreed to a deal wherein the hostages held by Hamas would be released and a ceasefire would be implemented.
“In order to address the humanitarian needs of the population in Gaza to the necessary extent, there needs to be a ceasefire,” the official said. “The way to a ceasefire at the moment is to reach a deal for the release of the captives.
“The Israelis have agreed to the terms of the deal,” he continued. “If Hamas agrees to the terms and agrees to release the captives, a six-week ceasefire will begin immediately. This deal is on the table. Talks are ongoing with Hamas in Qatar, and we hope to reach an agreement by Ramadan. The ball is in Hamas’s court. We continue to push this as hard as we can.”
Meeting between US Vice President Kamala Harris and Benny Gantz
US Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday will meet with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz, a White House official told Reuters.
The meeting at the White House, first reported by Reuters, comes as Washington seeks to reach a deal for a temporary ceasefire and increase the flow of aid to Gaza.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
