Asked when he thought a cease-fire could begin, Biden said: ‘Well I hope by the beginning of the weekend. The end of the weekend. My national security adviser tells me that we´re close. We´re close. We´re not done yet. My hope is by next Monday we´ll have a ceasefire.’ As part of the taping, Biden and Meyers went next door to the Van Leeuwen ice cream parlor. He chose a mint chocolate chip cone.
Published February 27, 2024
- Biden spoke on Monday during appearance with talk show host Seth Meyers
- Representatives from Egypt, Qatar, US, France and others have been working as go-betweens for Israel and Hamas who have been at war since October 7
US president Joe Biden has said he hopes a ceasefire in Gaza could start by the beginning of next week.
Speaking on Monday night, he added that Israel was ready to halt operations during the Muslim month of Ramadan as part of any deal with the Hamas terror group.
Amid a spiralling humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory caused by a Israeli bombing campaign launched in response to the October 7 Hamas terror attack, representatives from Egypt, Qatar, the US, France and others have acted as go-betweens for Israel and Hamas.
Their goal is to halt to the fighting and the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
Reports on Monday said that Hamas had been sent a draft proposal which includes a 40-day ceasefire and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages – dozens of which are still held captive inside Gaza – at a ratio of 10 to one.
Asked during an election campaign trip to New York when such an agreement might start, Biden – holding an ice cream – replied: ‘I hope by the end of the weekend.
‘My national security advisor tells me that we’re close, we’re close, we’re not done yet. My hope is by next Monday we’ll have a ceasefire,’ Biden told reporters.
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SOURCE: www.dailymail.co.uk
RELATED: Report: Hamas Rejects Latest Israeli Hostage Deal Framework
Published February 26, 2024
Hamas, the Palestinian terror organization that attacked Israel on October 7, has rejected the latest framework for the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, according to reports in the Israeli media.
Hamas had rejected any deal on hostages unless Israel agreed to end the war and pull all of its forces out of the Gaza Strip — a condition that would allow the terror group to claim victory in the war, and was therefore a non-starter for Israel.
Breitbart News reported on Saturday that there had been progress in talks held in Paris, France, through mediators:
Israeli sources reported progress in talks in Paris, France, this weekend over a release of hostages by Hamas in exchange for a temporary pause in fighting, as the Palestinian terrorist groups appeared to back down from demands for an end to the war.
The rough outline of the deal appears to involve a six-week pause in fighting, accompanied by the release of 35-40 hostages, with Israel releasing some 300 or so Palestinian terror convicts, and redeploying some of its forces within Gaza, though not leaving.
Hamas still holds some 134 Israeli hostages, several dozen of whom are thought to be dead. Over 100 hostages — mostly women and children — were released during a week-long truce in November, which Hamas broke, leading to a resumption of fighting.
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SOURCE: www.breitbart.com
RELATED: Israeli officials: Hamas is signaling rejection of latest hostage deal proposals
Sources speaking to Hebrew media indicate growing pessimism; Haniyeh meets Qatari emir, accuses Israel of stalling talks; another Hamas official says IDF must withdraw from Gaza
Pictures of hostages held by terror groups in Gaza since October 7, in Tel Aviv, February 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
Published February 26, 2024
Multiple reports in Hebrew media Monday indicated mounting pessimism among senior Israeli officials regarding the prospects of a hostage release deal with Hamas, as the terror group appeared to signal it would not accept the latest proposal, following talks between Israel and international mediators.
Channels 12, 13 and Kan news all quoted senior officials as saying that Israel had been told that the framework worked out in Paris by Israel, American, Egyptian and Qatari mediators on Friday “doesn’t correspond with Hamas demands.” Channel 12 said Hamas leaders abroad had indicated there were “red lines” the proposal crossed that they would not accept.
Hamas has yet to present an official response to the Paris proposal.
The Paris framework reportedly involves Hamas releasing 40 hostages including, women, children, female soldiers, and elderly and ill abductees in exchange for a six-week pause in fighting and Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian terror convicts.
A key sticking point appears to be Israel’s insistence that any temporary truce deal will not guarantee an end to the war, while Hamas demands just that. Jerusalem has vowed not to halt its efforts until it has dismantled the terror group in Gaza. It vowed to destroy the terror group after the October 7 massacres that sparked the war.
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SOURCE: www.timesofisrael.com
