Israel has broadly accepted Gaza ceasefire deal, says US official

Israel has 'more or less' agreed to a deal proposing a six-week ceasefire in its war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza strip, said a senior US official on Saturday.

The Biden administration official further added that it was now up to Hamas to fully agree to the release of the most vulnerable hostages for the agreement to be put into effect.

"There's a framework deal. The Israelis have more or less accepted it," the Biden administration official told speaking on condition of anonymity, according to AFP.

"Right now, the ball is in the camp of Hamas."

The official said that the negotiators were working "round the clock" in order to ensure the deal was secured by the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

"It will be a six-week ceasefire in Gaza starting today if Hamas agrees to release the defined category of vulnerable hostages... the sick, the wounded, elderly and women," the official said.

"I just want to kind of emphasize that we would have a ceasefire if Hamas addresses that final issue," he added.

Earlier, US President Joe Biden said that he was hoping there would be a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas by Ramadan as the conflict in the Gaza Strip intensifies.

"I'm hoping so, we're still working real hard on it. We're not there yet," Biden told reporters at the White House when asked if he expected a deal by Ramadan, which is set to begin in about a week.

"We'll get there but we're not there yet -- we may not get there," Biden said.

The war has been going on for nearly five months and international pressure is mounting for a ceasefire in Gaza. Hamas is weighing a proposal, agreed by Israel at talks with mediators in Paris last week, for a 40-day ceasefire, which would be the first extended truce of the conflict.

US conducts initial airdrop of humanitarian assistance into Gaza

The US military executed its inaugural humanitarian aid airdrop into Gaza, utilising three C-130 planes, as disclosed by two anonymous US officials on Saturday (March 2).

The airdrop involved more than 35,000 meals, and the White House affirmed its commitment to sustaining these efforts, noting Israel's support for the initiative.

In solidarity, several nations, including France, Egypt, and Jordan,also conducted airdrops to provide aid to Gaza.

(With inputs from agencies)