US says response from Hamas on ceasefire proposal still awaited

A response from Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Israel’s ceasefire proposal that U.S. President Joe Biden revealed on Friday is still being awaited, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Tuesday.
Sullivan added, CIA Director Bill Burns will be in Doha to consult with Qatari mediators on the Gaza ceasefire proposal. Qatar has been mediating on Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
Qatar said on Tuesday it had delivered the Israeli ceasefire proposal to Hamas that reflected a three-phase proposal presented by Biden, and that the paper was now much closer to the positions of both sides.
A spokesman for Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, reiterated on Tuesday it could not agree to any deal unless Israel makes a “clear” commitment to a permanent truce and complete withdrawal from Gaza.
For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also repeated that there can be no permanent peace unless Hamas is eradicated, as he struggles with profound political divisions at home over the U.S.-backed truce proposal.