Israel, Hamas indicate no deal is imminent

JERUSALEM • Israel and Hamas on Tuesday played down chances of an imminent breakthrough in talks for a ceasefire in Gaza, after U.S. President Joe Biden said Israel has agreed to pause its offensive during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan if a deal is reached to release some hostages.

The president’s remarks came on the eve of the Michigan primary, where he faces pressure from the state’s large Arab American population over his staunch support for Israel’s offensive. Biden said he had been briefed on the talks by his national security adviser, but said his comments reflected his optimism for a deal, not that all the remaining hurdles had been overcome.

In the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed tens of thousands of people, according to the local Hamasrun health ministry.

Talks to pause the fighting have gained momentum recently and were underway Tuesday. Negotiators from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been working to broker a ceasefire that would see Hamas free some of the dozens of hostages it holds in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, a sixweek halt in fighting and an increase in aid to Gaza.

The start of Ramadan, which is expected to be around March 10, is seen as an unofficial deadline for a deal. The month is a time of heightened religious observance and dawn-to-dusk fasting for hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world. Israeli-palestinian tensions have flared in the past during the holy month.

“Ramadan’s coming up, and there has 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 an appearance on NBC’S Late Night With Seth Meyers that was recorded Monday. In separate comments the same day, Biden said that he hoped a ceasefire could take effect next week.

At the same time, Biden did not call for an end to the war, which was triggered when Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted roughly 250 people.

Israeli officials said Biden’s comments came as a surprise and were not made in co-ordination with the country’s leadership. A Hamas official played down any sense of progress, saying the group wouldn’t soften its demands.

Hamas has previously demanded that Israel end the war as part of any deal, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called “delusional.”

On Tuesday, Qatar foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-ansari said “we feel optimistic” about the talks, without elaborating.

A senior official from Egypt has said the draft deal includes the release of up to 40 women and older hostages in return for up to 300 Palestinian prisoners — mostly women, minors and older people.