Europe 1 with AFP // Photo credit: SAID KHATIB / AFP 8:09 p.m., March 2, 2024
Washington assured this Saturday that the "Israelis have more or less" agreed to a six-week truce in the war in Gaza, on the condition that Hamas agreed to release a "well-defined category of vulnerable hostages".
From now on, the ball is "in Hamas' court" for this truce to come into effect.
A senior American official assured Saturday that Israel had "more or less" agreed to a truce in the war in Gaza and that now "the ball was in Hamas' court" for it to come into force.
“There has been significant progress in recent weeks”
"There is a deal on the table. The Israelis have more or less accepted it. And a six-week ceasefire could begin today in Gaza if Hamas agrees to release a well-defined category of hostages vulnerable," the US official said.
He said that, for the moment, "discussions continued" to seal an agreement before the start of Ramadan, the holy month of Muslim fasting, in a week.
"The Israelis have accepted in principle the elements of the agreement. The ball is in Hamas's court," he insisted.
“There has been significant progress in recent weeks, but as always, there is no agreement until everything is decided,” added this senior official, who requested anonymity, during an exchange with the press.
He clarified that the six-week truce was designed as a "first phase", with the objective of achieving "something more lasting", in particular to be able to massively increase humanitarian aid.
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This interview, during which two other senior White House officials spoke, also focused on the first aid drops from the Americans on the Palestinian territory, bombed and besieged by Israel, and threatened with famine.
These airdrops of humanitarian aid or possible deliveries by sea, another option studied by Washington, "cannot replace the necessary entry of aid by as many land routes as possible", insisted a senior official .