US VP Kamala Harris Calls for Hamas to Agree on Ceasefire Deal

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - United States Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday demanded the Palestinian resistance group Hamas to agree to an immediate six-week ceasefire. At the same time, Harris also  urged  Israel to do more to boost aid deliveries into Gaza, where she said innocent people were suffering a "humanitarian catastrophe."

Harris pressed the Israeli government in what was deemed the strongest comments from a US leader to date and outlined specific ways on how more aid can flow into the densely-populated enclave. Hundreds of thousands of people are facing famine in Gaza, following five months of Israel's military campaign.

"Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire. There is a deal on the table, and as we have said, Hamas needs to agree to that deal. Let's get a ceasefire,” Harris said in an event

Harris reminded that “people in Gaza are starving, the conditions are inhumane and our common humanity compels us to act” and that “the Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid.”

On Sunday, a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo for the latest round of ceasefire talks, but it was unclear if any progress was made. Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israel boycotted the talks after Hamas rejected its demand for a complete list naming hostages who are still alive.

Washington has insisted the ceasefire deal is close and has been pushing to put in place a truce by the start of Ramadan, a week away. A US official on Saturday said Israel has agreed on a framework deal.

An agreement would bring the first extended truce of the war, which has raged for five months so far with just a week-long pause in November last year. Dozens of hostages held by Hamas were freed in return for hundreds of Palestinian detainees.

One source briefed on the talks had said on Saturday that Israel could stay away from Cairo unless Hamas first presented its full list of hostages who are still alive. A Palestinian source told Reuters that Hamas had so far rejected that demand. In past negotiations, Hamas has sought to avoid discussing the well-being of individual hostages until after terms for their release are set.

REUTERS

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