Hamas says ‘ready’ for Gaza truce after Lebanon ceasefire

We have informed mediators in Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, senior official says

GAZA CITY: Hamas is ready to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza, a senior official in the Palestinian group said, hailing the ceasefire that took hold in Lebanon.

“We have informed mediators in Egypt, Qatar and Turkey that Hamas is ready for a ceasefire agreement and a serious deal to exchange prisoners,” the official told AFP, however accusing Israel of obstructing an agreement.

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Meanwhile, Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Wednesday that the group "appreciates" Lebanon's right to reach an agreement that protects the people of Lebanon and hoped for a deal to end the war in Gaza.

After weeks of international pressure on Israel, US President Joe Biden announced the ceasefire agreement on Tuesday.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, US envoy Amos Hochstein said Israeli forces positioned two to three kilometres (1.2 to 1.8 miles) from the border with Lebanon “will remain in place for now”, and leave gradually over the next 60 days, beginning in the “next several days, or first couple of weeks”.

“But there is a lot to do in these 60 days,” Hochstein said in the interview.

“The Lebanese army cannot deploy that many forces that quickly all across the south when they haven’t been there in such a long time,” he said, noting Lebanese armed forces will move in as Israeli forces depart.

The United States is Israel’s key ally and military backer, and Biden hailed the deal as “good news” and a “new start” for Lebanon.

Netanyahu thanked Biden for his involvement in brokering the deal, under whose terms Israel will maintain “full” freedom to act against Hezbollah should the Iran-backed group pose any new threat.