Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari says Qatar is “optimistic” that a deal on a ceasefire or a cessation of hostilities would be achieved before Ramadan, while United States President Joe Biden says he hopes “by next Monday we will have a ceasefire”.
The proposal envisages a pause in hostilities that could stretch for six weeks, Al Jazeera Arabic reported quoting informed sources. That would allow for the release of 40 Israeli captives held by Hamas in exchange for 400 Palestinians currently in Israeli prisons.
Mediators were reported to be hoping to get a deal in place before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is likely to start on March 10.
“Ramadan’s coming up and there’s been an agreement by the Israelis that they would not engage in activities during Ramadan as well, in order to give us time to get all the hostages out,” Biden said in comments broadcast on US TV early on Tuesday.
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