Joe Biden Says There’s ‘Hope’ For Gaza Ceasefire Next Monday
According to Joe Biden, a fresh cease-fire between Israel and Hamas might go into force by the beginning of next week.
Reporters questioned the US president Joe Biden on Monday when he was in New York City over the likelihood of a cease-fire.
We’re near, my national security adviser tells me. We are near. We’re not finished yet, stated Biden. “I hope we have a ceasefire by next Monday.”
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Representatives from Egypt, Qatar, the US, France, and other countries have worked as go-betweens for Israel and Hamas during a deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory, attempting to bring an end to hostilities and secure the release of Israeli hostages detained in Gaza.
A agreement might potentially involve exchanging several hundred Palestinian captives held by Israel for dozens of hostages.
A US air force member who was on active duty died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., in protest of Israel’s military incursion in Gaza, where its health ministry reports that almost 30,000 Palestinians have been killed. Biden’s remarks came just hours before the incident.
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The incident comes after Hamas’ cross-border assaults against Israel on October 7 that resulted in over 200 hostages and 1,200 fatalities.
Negotiators hashed out the parameters of an agreement between Hamas and Israel that may halt combat for six weeks, a senior US source said over the weekend. This puts a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas closer than it has been in weeks.
According to the official Qatar News Agency, Sheikh Tamim met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Doha to discuss efforts “aimed at reaching an immediate and permanent ceasefire agreement” in Gaza.
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According to the ministry, Israel’s military operation has killed at least 29,782 individuals in Gaza, the majority of them were women and children.
Based on an AFP calculation of official numbers, Hamas killed 1,160 people in Israel, largely civilians, in their unprecedented offensive that resulted in the start of the conflict.
About 250 captives were also taken by Hamas; 130 of them are still in Gaza, including 31 who are thought to be dead, according to Israel. “My hope is next Monday Gaza Ceasefire ,” Biden concluded.