The US government said it is “examining” the agreement of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas to a proposal by the mediators in the indirect negotiations with Israel to declare a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

“We are currently reviewing this response. And we are talking with our allies in the region,” said the spokesman for the US presidency’s National Security Council, John Kirby, to reporters on Monday.

He avoided giving a clear answer when asked what exactly Hamas agreed to. He said he would not go into details about it.

“We continue to believe that reaching an agreement is absolutely the best outcome not only for the hostages, but also for the Palestinian people. And we will not stop working towards that outcome,” added Mr Kerby.

CIA chief William Burns is in the region and working with the Israeli government to strike a deal, the spokesman recalled. “The last thing I want to do is say anything from this step that would jeopardize the process,” he clarified.

Mr. Kerby also referred to a conversation between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier yesterday, which he described as “constructive.” The conversation lasted about half an hour.

“During the conversation, at the urging of the president, Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to ensure that the Kerem Shalom crossing will be reopened to distribute humanitarian aid to those in need,” the SEA spokesman added, without specifying when. .

Hamas’s response was not yet known when the conference call took place.

Asked about the announced ground operation in Rafah, on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip, Mr. Kirby reiterated that Washington would not support any operation that would put more than 1 million civilians at great risk. Asked whether the US government would support more limited-scale operations in Rafah, he did not immediately respond.

So far the government of Israel has not presented a “credible” plan to protect the civilian population, as Washington has requested.