Biden hopes cease-fire, hostage deal to pause Israel-Hamas war can take effect by next Monday

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By WAFAA SHURAFA, TIA GOLDENBERG and KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Updated 4:54 PM CST, February 26, 2024

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday that he hopes a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas that would pause hostilities and allow for remaining hostages to be released can take effect by early next week.

Asked when he hoped such a deal could be finalized, Biden said: “Well I hope by the beginning of the weekend. The end of the weekend. My national security adviser tells me that they’re close. They’re close. They’re not done yet. My hope is by next Monday we’ll have a ceasefire.”

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel has failed to comply with an order by the United Nations’ top court to provide urgently needed aid to desperate people in the Gaza Strip, Human Rights Watch said Monday, a month after a landmark ruling in The Hague ordered Israel to moderate its war.

In a preliminary response to a South African petition accusing Israel of genocide, the U.N.’s top court ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in the tiny Palestinian enclave. It stopped short of ordering an end to the military offensive that has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-26-2024-8682b5446e285a7fc641c9f869df9348

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Hamas says "premature"; Qatar is "optimistic"

Reuters is reporting that a Hamas official has told it that US president Joe Biden’s words about a halt to fighting in Gaza are premature, and do not match the situation on the ground.

The official told the new agency there were still “big gaps that need to be bridged”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/feb/27/middle-east-crisis-live-truce-gaza-israel-hostages-palestinian-prisoners?page=with:block-65dda8c18f08b81bd1bcc7f0#block-65dda8c18f08b81bd1bcc7f0

In another briefing about ongoing talks attempting to broker peace in Gaza, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokseperson has said that there has been no breakthrough, but the country remains “upbeat and optimisitc” about the prospect for mediation.

They said Israel and Hamas had failed to reach agreement on any of the main issues.

Reuters reports the spokseperson said Qatar could not comment on US president Joe Biden’s assessment that a ceasefire is expected to be agreed next Monday.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/feb/27/middle-east-crisis-live-truce-gaza-israel-hostages-palestinian-prisoners?page=with:block-65ddb7518f08b55e929420fc#block-65ddb7518f08b55e929420fc

Israeli media is reporting that an unnamed senior Israeli official has said, in reference to Biden’s comments that a deal might be close to halt fighting in Gaza, that he doesn’t understand “what [Biden’s] optimism is based on”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/feb/27/middle-east-crisis-live-truce-gaza-israel-hostages-palestinian-prisoners?page=with:block-65dda96f8f08a7da6d0f174e#block-65dda96f8f08a7da6d0f174e

[Eugene]

2. Biden signals there could be a truce in Gaza soon but Israel and Hamas indicate no deal is imminent

Biden signals there could be a truce in Gaza soon but Israel and Hamas indicate no deal is imminent

JERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden signaled that a cease-fire in Gaza could be at hand, saying that Israel has agreed to pause its offensive during the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan if a deal is reached to release some hostages held by Hamas.

But both Israel and Hamas downplayed on Tuesday the idea that a breakthrough was imminent.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-27-2024-e17abedeaf5a005fcd5e7095fecacb7a