“Israel will cease operations in Gaza during Ramadan.” US President Joe Biden said this, specifying that the stop is part of the conditions set out in a ceasefire agreement currently being negotiated.

“Ramadan is approaching and the Israelis have agreed not to engage in activities during Ramadan, in order to give us time to free all the hostages,” Biden added in an interview on the US network NBC.

But both Tel Aviv and Hamas point out that nothing is defined yet.

A Hamas official said the US president's comments about a truce in Gaza were "premature" and did not correspond to the real situation on the ground.

According to the same official there are "still large gaps to be filled" in the agreement before a ceasefire is guaranteed.

Israeli sources also hold back, underlining that "it is not clear what President Biden's optimism about a possible truce is based on".

However, talks for a new ceasefire continue: a high-level source reported that the draft proposal sent to Hamas concerns a 40-day truce and the exchange of prisoners and hostages at a ratio of 10 to one. Hamas is expected to release around 40 hostages, including women, people under 19 or over 50 and the sick, in exchange for around 400 Palestinian detainees. The reopening of hospitals and bakeries in Gaza and the immediate entry of related equipment and fuel are also expected. Gaza residents, except men of fighting age, would be allowed to return home to evacuated areas.

(Unioneonline/lf)

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