Israel-Hamas War: The White House is working hard to broker a tripartite agreement between Israel, the US, and Palestinian militant outfit Hamas for the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting in the Palestinian exclave, Washington confirmed on Sunday.
"We have not reached a deal yet, but we continue to work hard to get to a deal," a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said in response to a report by The Washington Post.
Accoding to the report, Israel, the deal would allow the release of dozens of women and children, who were abducted from Israeli territory during Hamas' October 7 onslaught, in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting.
ALSO READ: DRDO Develops Radar Absorbing Paint To Help India's Warplanes Develop Greater Degree Of Stealth | Check Details
The hostage release, which could begin within the next several days, barring last-minute hitches, could lead to the first sustained pause in the ongoing armed conflict in the Gaza Strip, the report said citing people familiar with the matter.
As per a six-page agreement cited by The Washington Post, both parties to the conflict in Gaza would be required to halt the execution of combat operations for five days. During the said period, an initial 50 or more hostages would reportedly be freed in smaller batches every 24 hours.
Recommended For You
It was not immediately clear how many of the 239 people believed to be in captivity in Gaza would be released under the deal. Overhead surveillance would monitor movement on the ground to police the pause.
The stop in fighting is also intended to allow a significant increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance, including fuel, to enter the besieged enclave from Egypt. The conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas militants has claimed the lives of more than 11,500 Palestinians so far, according to the Hamas-run health ministry of Gaza.
As per The Washington Post, the deal's outline was put together during weeks of talks in Doha, Qatar among Israel, the United States and Hamas. The talks were indirectly represented by Qatari mediators, according to Arab and other diplomats.
(With inputs from ANI)