Updated On: 18 August, 2024 08:05 AM IST | Jerusalem | Agencies
Israel has ordered mass evacuation in southern Gaza despite indirect peace talks

Palestinians pray at the funeral for more than 15 people killed in an Israeli strike, at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza on Saturday. Pic/AP-PTI
Mediators are preparing to implement a Gaza ceasefire and hostage-swap deal to end the 10-month Israel-Hamas war before a final agreement is set, a US official said late Friday. The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, said the proposal currently on the table basically bridges every gap between Israel and Hamas.
The comments come after mediators expressed hope for an imminent deal. They said two days of talks had wrapped up in Qatar and that they plan to reconvene in Cairo next week to seal an agreement to stop the fighting. Even as indirect peace talks between Hamas and Israel have envisaged an immediate ceasefire, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have ordered mass evacuation in southern Gaza.