US President Joe Biden has said he hopes that a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will start as early as Monday.
Biden told reporters in New York on Monday, “My national security advisor tells me that we’re close.” He added that although negotiations are not done yet, “My hope is by next Monday, we’ll have a ceasefire.”
Israel has reportedly agreed during weekend talks with the US and other mediators in Paris on a proposal for a six-week pause in fighting. The plan is said to be conditional on the release of about 40 hostages held in Gaza.
Israel’s Haaretz newspaper says an Israeli delegation arrived in Qatar on Monday for additional talks.
Still, uncertainties remain over whether a deal can be finalized. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Hamas’s call for a complete ceasefire.
SOURCE: NHK, Tuesday, February 27, 2024
