US President Joe Biden Says Gaza Conflict Ceasefire Agreement Is In Hamas' Hands

The Israeli military in the Gaza Strip. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - United States President Joe Biden said on Tuesday the decision to accept a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages was in Hamas' hands, while the delegates held talks on the third day without any sign of a breakthrough.

Negotiations from Palestinian militant groups, Qatar and Egypt, without Israel, are in Cairo to try to agree a 40-day ceasefire in the Hamas war with Israel, just in time for the Ramadan fasting month which starts early next week.

The deal offered to Hamas will release several hostages captured by Palestinian militants in an October attack that sparked war, while aid to Gaza will be increased to prevent starvation as hospitals treat children who are acutely malnourished, and Hamas will provide a list of all hostages detained in Gaza.

The release of sick, injured, elderly and female hostages would result in an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least six weeks, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stressed at Tuesday's meeting, the White House said.

"This first-stage ceasefire will also allow a spike in humanitarian aid to Gazans, and provide time and space to secure longer-lasting arrangements and continued calm," the White House said in a statement.

Earlier in Beirut, Hamas Osama Hamdan officials repeated the main demands of his group: an end to Israeli military attacks, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the return of all Gazans to the homes they left.

He said the exchange of prisoners could not be carried out except after the ceasefire, which reflected Hamas' view that a ceasefire, above all, should be a step towards resolving the conflict.

While Israel only wanted a break in fighting to get the hostages out of Gaza and more help in, insisting they would not end the conflict before Hamas was "dissolved".

Israeli Government spokesman Avi Hyman said in a press conference before Hamdan spoke the militant group had to "go down from their irrational position and get into our orbit".

He added: "Hamas understands military pressure and we will convey it to them."

Washington, Israel's main political and military supporter and major sponsor of the negotiations, also lays responsibility on Gaza's rulers.

"This is in Hamas' hands now. Israel has worked together. There has been a rational offer," President Biden told reporters.

"If we get to a situation where (the fighting) continues into Ramadan, it will be very dangerous."

Hamas said Washington's stance was designed to fend off errors from Israel if negotiations failed.

Hamas senior official Bassem Naim said Hamas had presented his own draft deal and was awaiting a response from Israel, adding: "(Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu does not want to reach an agreement and the ball is now in American hands."

A source told Reuters earlier that Israel was moving away because Hamas refused to provide a list of surviving hostages. Naim said this was impossible without a ceasefire as the hostages were scattered throughout the war zone and detained by different groups.