Egyptian and Qatari mediators are expected to receive a response from Hamas to the truce proposal in the Gaza Strip.
The Israelis “more or less accepted” the proposal, which includes the six-week ceasefire as well as the release by Hamas of hostages considered vulnerable, including the sick, wounded, elderly and women, a senior US official said on Saturday.
“Right now the ball is in Hamas’ court and we continue to push this as hard as we can”he added, speaking on condition of anonymity, in accordance with the ground rules established by the White House for briefing journalists.
A senior Egyptian official said that the Egyptian and Qatari mediators should receive a response from Hamas during the Cairo talks which are due to begin this Sunday.
International mediators have been working for weeks to negotiate an agreement to suspend the fighting before the start of Ramadan, around March 10. A deal would likely allow aid to reach hundreds of thousands of desperate Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip.
American military planes began the first drops of thousands of meals on the Palestinian enclave, the Jordanian and Egyptian soldiers also carried out airdrops.
Humanitarian groups say airdrops should only be a last resort and instead recommend opening more crossing points into Gaza and removing obstacles to the few that are open.