The United States is optimistic about the progress that has been made over the past 24 hours, towards reaching a ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas — but officials say there is still a long ways to go.
At least 12 people were killed on Tuesday, after an airstrike struck a school just west of Gaza City that was sheltering displace Palestinians.
Israel says Hamas was using the school as a command centre.
Emergency crews dug through the rubble, searching for survivors as well as those killed. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says 700 people had been sheltering at the school.
The Israeli military also says it recovered six bodies of Hamas-held hostages in Gaza on Tuesday. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says mediators are inching closer to a temporary ceasefire and hostage release deal called the “bridging proposal.”
Blinken said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on board with the proposal, but Hamas is now accusing the states of favouring Israel in negotiations.
Blinken gave an update to reporters today while travelling to Qatar, where more negotiations are set.
“Israel has now accepted that proposal, I heard that directly from prime minister Netanyahu yesterday, and we hope and expect that Hamas will do the same. That’s the critical next step,” Blinken said.
