Qatar said Israel and Hamas have yet to reach an agreement on a pause in fighting in the Gaza Strip, where nearly 30,000 people have been killed.

Health authorities in Gaza said on Tuesday that 96 people were killed in the past 24 hours, raising the overall death toll to 29,878 since fighting began in October.

US President Joe Biden expressed hope on Monday that negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage releases will be concluded soon and a ceasefire will be realized by March 4. Qatar is a key mediator of the deal.

A spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that an agreement has yet to be reached.

But the official stressed that Qatar will step up efforts to achieve a ceasefire by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which will start around March 10.

Reuters news agency reported on Tuesday that Hamas had received a 40-day ceasefire proposal but is still weighing it. The draft proposal requires Hamas to release 40 hostages, including women and elderly people, in return for Israel's release of about 400 Palestinian detainees.