March 3, 2024 (EIRNS)—An anonymous White House official told reporters Saturday that 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, reported AP. 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.
AFP reports this morning that delegations from Hamas, Qatar, and the United States had arrived in Cairo to resume the talks today. A senior Hamas official told AFP that their delegation would discuss the proposal for a six-week truce with the mediators. The Hamas official said that if Israel were to meet its demands—which include a military withdrawal from Gaza and stepped-up humanitarian aid—this would “pave the way for an agreement within the next 24-48 hours.”
