US President Joe Biden on Friday said that he was “hoping” for a cease-fire agreement to be reached between Israel and Hamas amid ongoing mediation efforts to secure a deal.
“We’ve been working, and hopefully we’ll know shortly,” Biden said during in comments made alongside Italian Prime Minister and G7 chair Giorgia Meloni.
“We’re trying to work out a deal between Israel and Hamas on the hostages being returned, and an immediate cease-fire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks, and to allow the surge of aid through the entire Gaza Strip — not just the south but the entire Gaza Strip.” Biden said.
The talks also involved Qatar and Egypt among the mediators.
Speaking in her capacity as G7 chair Meloni said the international community needed to “coordinate” to “avoid an escalation” and said US mediation efforts to try and bring about a cease-fire were fully supported.
Meloni said alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was the “number one priority” and that Italy’s focus was on this, as well as bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.
After talks, Biden was asked by reporters whether a deal could be expected by Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that will start in just over a week.
“I’m hoping so, we’re still working real hard on it. We’re not there yet,” he told reporters at the White House as he headed to his helicopter to spend the weekend at the presidential Camp David retreat.
Biden also said that the US would start airdropping humanitarian aid, a day after over 100 Palestinians were killed while trying to obtain aid from a convoy of trucks.
LINK: https://p.dw.com/p/4d6AG
