Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office denied on Wednesday that Hamas had agreed to the Gaza ceasefire proposal from Qatari mediators, after an Israeli official said the Palestinian militant group had given its approval.
Hamas had not communicated its answer to the proposal © Mena Today
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office denied on Wednesday that Hamas had agreed to the Gaza ceasefire proposal from Qatari mediators, after an Israeli official said the Palestinian militant group had given its approval.
Israeli media channels had reported that, following the green light from Hamas, the deal would be formally announced on Thursday and would come into effect on Sunday with the release of the first of the hostages.
However the prime minister's office said Hamas had not communicated its answer to the proposal.
"Contrary to reports, the Hamas terror organisation has not yet returned its response to the deal," the prime minister's office said.
Writing by James Mackenzie
The Palestinian Authority must be the sole governing power in Gaza after the war, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said on Wednesday, as expectations grew that a deal to halt fighting and start returning Israeli hostages was near.
Negotiators were trying to hammer out the final details of a ceasefire in Gaza on Wednesday after marathon talks in Qatar, and U.S. and Egyptian leaders promised to stay in close contact about a deal over the coming hours.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi discussed negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza on Tuesday and agreed to remain in close coordination in the coming hours, the White House said.
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