U.S. President Joe Biden has said that Gaza ceasefire deal is now in sight and no party in the Middle East should undermine this process.
Deal is Far From Over
Although Biden claimed that the deal is now in sight, he warned that it is “far from over.”
“No one in the region should take actions to undermine this process and the hostage release deal,” Biden posted on social media.
He later told reporters that he was optimistic about prospects for a ceasefire.
“As of an hour ago, it’s still in play. I’m optimistic. It’s far from over,” he said on Friday night.
The U.S. President further said, “There’s a couple more issues. I think we’ve got a shot.’’
Asked when a ceasefire deal would start if a deal is reached, U.S. President Joe Biden said: “That remains to be seen.”
Why It Is Important
Israel has insisted that peace will only be possible if Palestinian Islamist group Hamas is destroyed.
Hamas has said it will only accept a permanent ceasefire, not a temporary one.
Ceasefire talks paused on Friday and negotiators will meet again next week.
Joint Statement
In a joint statement, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt said Washington presented a new proposal.
Washington, Israel’s most important ally, says a ceasefire will reduce the rising threat of the widening of Israel’s war on Gaza.
President Biden originally had laid out a three-phase ceasefire proposal in an address on May 31.
Mediators have however run into repeated obstacles.
Context
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Over 40,000 Palestinians died in Israel’s subsequent assault on the Hamas-governed enclave, according to the local health ministry.
The assault has displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million.
This caused a hunger crisis and led to genocide allegations at the World Court that Isreal denies.
(With Inputs From Reuters)
