The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz reported on Monday morning that the US administration had expressed its readiness in principle to provide a written commitment to Israel that would allow it to resume fighting after the first stage of the exchange deal.

The newspaper quoted an Israeli source as saying that the US administration will guarantee that Israel will resume fighting after that stage.

He pointed out that contacts took place between Tel Aviv and Washington with the aim of ensuring the return of fighting as a major pressure tool for Israel to ensure the release of all Israeli prisoners held by Hamas, and to prevent it from continuing to detain men and soldiers even after the first humanitarian phase of the deal.