Israel and Hamas cautious about talks after Biden's statement

The warring parties in the Gaza Strip are cautious about the truce talks after US President Joe Biden's statement that the deal might be launched next Monday, March 4.

This was reported by RBC-Ukraine regarding Reuters.

On Tuesday, February 27, representatives of Israel and the Hamas group, as well as Qatari mediators, expressed reservations about progress towards a truce in the Gaza Strip after US President Joe Biden said that he believed a ceasefire could be reached in less than a week to end the war for the Ramadan period.

Hamas is weighing a proposal agreed to by Israel in talks with mediators in Paris last week for a ceasefire that would halt fighting for 40 days. This would be the first long-lasting truce in the five-month war. Delegations from both sides are in Qatar this week to discuss the details.

According to a Reuters source, the Paris proposal calls for the militants to release some, but not all, of the hostages they are holding in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from settlements in the enclave.

However, they do not seem to satisfy Hamas's main demand that any agreement includes a clear path to a permanent end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops, as well as a solution to the fate of Israeli men of military age who are being held hostage.

Author - Serhii Kolomiets, 28/02/2024