Israel has essentially backed a framework for a ceasefire proposal and a hostage release agreement in Gaza, according to a senior U.S. administration official. This endorsement comes one day before talks to reach an agreement resume in Egypt. However, final acceptance now depends on Hamas, the organization that controls the Gaza Strip.
International mediators have been tirelessly working for weeks to negotiate an agreement to end the fighting before March 10. This potential agreement could not only halt the violence but also allow aid to reach hundreds of thousands of desperate Palestinians in northern Gaza, who fear the threat of famine.
According to the senior U.S. administration official, the Israelis have “more or less” accepted the proposal. “At this point, the ball is in Hamas’ court and we will continue to push this as hard as we can,” the official said.
The agreement includes a six-week ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas, focusing on the most vulnerable, such as the sick, wounded, elderly, and women. However, neither Israel nor Hamas have responded to requests for comments, leaving uncertainty about the fate of the negotiations.
An Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks, mentioned that the mediators from Egypt and Qatar are expected to receive Hamas’ response during the upcoming talks in Cairo, scheduled to begin on Sunday.
Expectations are high for peace negotiations, but uncertainty persists until the parties sit at the negotiating table. These discussions are taking place amidst growing criticism due to the desperation of hundreds of thousands of people struggling to survive in northern Gaza, an area severely affected by the conflict.
It all began when the militant group Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, resulting in the death of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the taking of around 250 hostages.
The European External Action Service said that the crisis was due to “restrictions imposed by the Israeli military, and obstructions by violent extremists to the supply of humanitarian aid.” Residents in northern Gaza are rummaging through debris and trash to find something to feed their children, who barely eat once a day. Families are resorting to mixing animal and bird feed with baking flour to make bread.
International aid officials report facing a catastrophic hunger crisis. “We are starving to death,” said Soad Abu Hussein, a widow and mother of five children sheltering in a school in the Jabaliya refugee camp. At least 10 children have died of starvation, according to Gaza hospital records, the World Health Organization said. The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that the number of Palestinian deaths from the war has risen to 30,320 victims, without distinguishing between civilians and combatants but noting that women and children account for about two-thirds of the dead.
