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US says still pushing for Israel-Hamas deal after reported breakthrough

The Washington Post earlier reported that a Qatari-brokered deal between Israel and Hamas had been reached for a five-day ceasefire in exchange for hostages.

US says still pushing for Israel-Hamas deal after reported breakthrough

Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing ground operation of the Israeli army against the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in this handout picture released on Nov 18, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Israel Defense Forces)

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WASHINGTON: The United States said Saturday (Nov 18) it was still working to secure a deal between Israel and Hamas after a reported tentative agreement to free women and children held hostage in Gaza in exchange for a pause in fighting.

"We have not reached a deal yet, but we continue to work hard to get to a deal," White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said on X, formerly Twitter, in response to the Washington Post reporting a deal had been agreed.

The Washington Post reported earlier on Saturday night that a Qatari-brokered deal between Israel and Hamas had been reached for a five-day ceasefire in exchange for 50 or more hostages.

The Post said a detailed, six-page agreement could mean hostage releases begin within days and could also lead to the first sustained pause in the conflict in Gaza.

Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper said all parties would halt combat operations while some hostages were released in batches, with overhead surveillance monitoring movement to police the pause.

But the White House National Security Council quickly responded with its message on X to deny any major breakthrough on Saturday evening.

Israel vowed to destroy Hamas after the militant group's Oct 7 rampage into Israel in which its fighters killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

As the conflict entered its seventh week, authorities in Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip raised their death toll to 12,300, including 5,000 children.

Israel said that it was preparing to expand its offensive against Hamas militants to southern Gaza after air strikes killed dozens of Palestinians, including civilians reported to be sheltering at two schools.

US President Joe Biden's main adviser on the Middle East said earlier Saturday there would be a "significant pause" in the war if hostages held by militants in Gaza were freed.

"The surge in humanitarian relief, the surge in fuel, the pause ... will come when hostages are released," Brett McGurk told a security conference in Bahrain.

McGurk said Biden had discussed the issue on Friday evening with the ruler of the Gulf nation of Qatar, which is leading mediation efforts toward a ceasefire and release of the captives.

This week Biden said he was "mildly hopeful" of reaching a deal to free the hostages, believed to include about 10 US citizens.

Israel has refused to heed calls for a ceasefire before all the hostages are released.

Source: Agencies/zl

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