Gaza's warring enemies cautious over truce talks after Biden says deal nearing

Health authorities in the enclave say nearly 30,000 people have been confirmed killed

Workers remove rubble at the site where three Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in Faraa refugee camp near the West Bank town of Tubas, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. Picture: AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed

Israel and Hamas as well as Qatari mediators all sounded notes of caution on Tuesday about progress towards a truce in Gaza, after US President Joe Biden said he believed a ceasefire could be reached in under a week to halt the war for Ramadan.

Hamas is weighing a proposal, agreed by Israel at talks with mediators in Paris last week, for a ceasefire that would suspend fighting for 40 days, which would be the first extended truce of the five-month-old war. Both sides have delegations in Qatar this week hammering out details.