Biden aides say Gaza truce could also pull Israel, Hezbollah back from brink of war

U.S. President Joe Biden has been personally involved in intense efforts in recent days to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, U.S. news portal Axios said.

Senior Biden aides said the deal could also pull Israel and Hezbollah back from the brink of war on the Israel-Lebanon border where tensions have been slowly escalating over the past six months, Axios added.

Hamas is considering a plan for a 40-day ceasefire and the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, nearly seven months into the devastating war.

Senior Hamas official Suhail al-Hindi said the group will "deliver its response clearly within a very short period".

An Israeli official told AFP the government "will wait for answers until Wednesday night", before deciding whether to send envoys to Cairo to nail down a deal.