Israel ready for humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for hostages release: president

JERUSALEM -- Israeli President Issac Herzog said on Tuesday that his country is ready for another humanitarian ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza in exchange for the release of hostages.

"I can reiterate the fact that Israel is ready for another humanitarian pause and additional humanitarian aid in order to enable the release of hostages," Herzog told a group of foreign ambassadors during a briefing on the current situation of the Israel-Hamas conflict, adding the responsibility "lies fully with" Hamas.

Chief of Israel's Mossad spy agency David Barnea held a meeting in Poland on Monday with the Director of US Central Intelligence Agency William Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss a potential new hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, Israeli media reported.

From Nov 24 to Nov 30, Israel and Hamas observed a seven-day cease-fire after the mediation of Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. During the ceasefire, several batches of Israeli hostages in Gaza were released in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and the entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.

Israel and Hamas resumed military operations immediately after the ceasefire collapsed on Dec 1.