The framework agreement for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza is ready, with his agreement Israeland depends on the Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas to release hostages, a senior US government official said today.
“The hostages must be released,” the official told reporters. “The agreement basically exists. But I don’t want to create expectations on one side or the other.”
“The Israelis have more or less accepted it. And one ceasefire six weeks could begin today in Gaza if Hamas agreed to release a very specific category of vulnerable hostages,” the US official added, clarifying that for now “talks are continuing” to seal an agreement before the start of Ramadan, in a week.
In addition, a Hamas delegation is due to go to Cairo today where negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza will resume tomorrow, Sunday, a source close to the Islamist Palestinian movement and a television station close to the Egyptian intelligence services told AFP.
Qatar, the United States and Egypt are trying to extract a deal between Hamas and Israel that would have provided for a six-week truce combined with the release of hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinians held by Israel.
Representatives of these countries “will resume negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza on Sunday in Cairo,” reported the Egyptian television station AlQahera News. “All parties will participate” in these talks, he clarified citing “high-ranking officials”.
The source close to Hamas, who asked not to be named, said a delegation from the Palestinian movement “will go to meet the Egyptians who are overseeing the negotiations around a ceasefire to monitor the progress of the talks aimed at ending the (Israeli) attack and the war and to reach an agreement for a hostage exchange.”
Earlier this week, a source close to Hamas said the Islamist movement offered to release one hostage a day for 42 days in exchange for 10 imprisoned Palestinians for each hostage.
Source: RES-MPE
#American #official #framework #ceasefire #Gaza #ready
