US Vice President Kamala Harris called for an “immediate cease-fire” in a speech at an event to commemorate the 59th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Alabama.

“Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate cease-fire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table,” Harris said. Her remarks were met with cheers and applause. 

“People in Gaza are starving. The conditions are inhumane and our common humanity compels us to act… The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses,” she added.

In Egypt, talks were underway on Saturday and Sunday toward a truce before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins next week. The Hamas militant group which runs Gaza reportedly sent a delegation for the new round of talks.

Israel did not send a delegation because the government was waiting to learn which hostages are alive and how many Palestinian prisoners Hamas seeks in exchange for each, according to Israeli media.

“Hamas claims it wants a cease-fire. Well, there is a deal on the table. And as we have said, Hamas needs to agree to that deal,” Harris said.

Egypt and Qatar serve as intermediaries between Hamas and Israel, which do not talk to each other directly. Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by many countries, including Israel, Germany and the US.