Biden, Harris meet with US negotiators to discuss ceasefire, hostage release deal in Gaza
(MENAFN) On Monday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met with US negotiators in the White House Situation Room to discuss the ongoing ceasefire and hostage release deal related to the Gaza conflict. This meeting followed the recovery of the bodies of American Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages in Gaza, an event that sparked protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government over the weekend.
During the meeting, Biden expressed his profound anger and sadness over the murders and emphasized the need to hold Hamas leaders accountable. The discussions centered on the "bridging proposal" developed by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, which aims to facilitate the release of hostages and establish a ceasefire. The team reviewed the current status of negotiations and outlined the next steps, including continued consultations with the co-mediators Qatar and Egypt.
In his remarks to reporters earlier, Biden criticized Netanyahu for not doing enough to secure a deal with Hamas. He expressed optimism that a final agreement for the release of hostages is "very close." The US, Qatar, and Egypt have been working for months to broker a deal between Israel and Hamas that would include a prisoner exchange, a ceasefire, and humanitarian aid access to Gaza. However, these efforts have faced setbacks, largely due to Netanyahu's refusal to meet Hamas's demands.
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