War in Gaza: they claim “significant progress” towards the truce, but Hamas warns that it will not happen before Ramadan

Representatives of Egypt, Hamas, Qatar and the United States continued negotiations in Cairo on Monday a truce in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic movement, after the “significant progress” made the day before, a television close to the Egyptian government reported. However, a spokesperson for the radical organization said that an agreement could only be reached in the first week of Ramadan, which begins March 10according to the Wall Street Journal.

The statement refutes mediators’ claims that the parties could reach an agreement within days.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States are trying to mediate for weeks reach a truce in the war sparked nearly five months ago after Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7. A truce agreement would allow the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

“Egypt continues its intense efforts to reach a truce ahead of Ramadan,” which begins March 10 or 11, AlQahera News reported, citing “a senior official.”

“Was significant progress in the negotiations” which resumed on Sunday in Cairo without Israeli representativesthis unidentified official added.

A week ago, a source close to Hamas indicated that the terrorist movement was proposing liberation one hostage per day for 42 days in exchange for 10 Palestinian prisoners for each hostage.

In nearly five months of war, Israeli military operations in retaliation for Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 have left more than 30,000 deaths in the Gaza Strip, mostly civilians, according to the latest budget from the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health.

About 1,160 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the attack by Hamas commandos in Israel, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli data. The Islamists They kidnapped about 250 people, of which 130 are still detained in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities.

Kamala Harris calls on Israel to agree to ceasefire

US Vice President Kamala Harris called on Sunday to accept the proposal for a six-week ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

“Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, an immediate ceasefire is needed for at least the next six weeks it’s what’s currently on the table“Harris said during a speech commemorating a civil rights march in Selma, Alabama (southeast).

On Saturday, a senior US official said Israel had largely accepted the deal, which would mean a six-week cessation of hostilities if Hamas agreed to release the most vulnerable hostages in its possession.

“This will get the hostages out and… will allow the entry of a significant amount of aid“said Harris, who urged Hamas to accept the deal.

“Hamas says they want a ceasefire. Well, there is an agreement on the table. And as we said, Hamas has to accept that agreement,” he added.

Meeting in Washington with a rival of Netanyahu

Vice President Kamala Harris was scheduled to receive a visiting member of Israel’s wartime cabinet in Washington on Monday. challenging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Benny Gantz, a centrist political rival of Netanyahu, is meeting this week with several senior Biden administration officials, including Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser. President Joe Biden will be at Camp David, the presidential retreat outside Washington, until Tuesday.

An official from Netanyahu’s far-right Likud party said Gantz did not have approval of the prime minister for their meetings in Washington and that Netanyahu gave the cabinet official a “tough discussion,” underscoring the growing divide within Israel’s wartime leadership, nearly six months into the conflict with Hamas .