President Joe Biden has now said he “hopes” Hamas will reach a deal to release Israeli hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza before the start of Ramadan on March 10.
“I hope so, we’re still working very hard on it. We’re not there yet,” Biden told reporters as he left the White House on Friday night en route to Camp David with his granddaughters Naomi and Maisy and husband by Naomi, Peter Neal.
He admitted that negotiators are still “far away” from reaching a truce to free the hostages, hours after announcing that the US military would begin dropping air aid to the Palestinians.
It comes five days after the president, 81, said he believed a ceasefire could happen as soon as Monday while eating ice cream in New York with late-night talk show host Seth Meyers.
Biden did not reveal details of the “delay” in talks and when asked if there was still a chance for a negotiated ceasefire, he said: “I still hope so.” You know, it’s not over until it’s over.’
Biden spends a weekend at Camp David with (from right) his granddaughters Naomi and Maisy and Naomi’s husband, Peter Neal.
Biden has now said he “expects” an agreement between Israel and Hamas on the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza before the start of Ramadan on March 10.
His comments and announcement of airdrops come a day after Israeli forces killed hundreds of Palestinians in their rush to get food from an aid convoy.
At least 576,000 people in the Gaza Strip – a quarter of its population – are one step away from famine, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Biden previously met in the Oval Office with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and said food deliveries would arrive in the coming days.
He noted that he performed Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind” when the Italian prime minister entered the Oval Office.
“We are going to discuss the Middle East and the tragic and alarming event yesterday in northern Gaza, trying to get humanitarian aid there,” he said.
‘The loss of life is heartbreaking. People are so desperate that innocent people were trapped in a terrible war without being able to feed their families and the response was seen when they tried to get help.’
Biden admitted that negotiators are still “far away” from reaching a truce to free the hostages, hours after announcing that the US military would begin airdropping aid to the Palestinians.
Biden speaks to reporters with his granddaughter Naomi before a weekend at Camp David
He admitted that negotiators are still “far away” from reaching a truce to free the hostages, hours after announcing that the US military would begin dropping air aid to the Palestinians. Jordanian forces have already begun dropping food.
“We need to do more and the United States will do more.”
Then he began to talk about Ukraine: “In the coming days, we will join our friends in Jordan and others to provide airdrops of additional food and supplies to Ukraine and will try to continue opening other avenues into Ukraine, including the possibility of a maritime corridor to deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance.’
Then Biden recovered and said that it was about aid to Gaza: “In addition to expanding ground deliveries, as I said, we are going to insist that Israel provide more trucks and more routes so that more and more people receive the help they need.” . There are no excuses, because the truth is that the aid flowing to Gaza is not enough now, not even close to it. Innocent lives and children’s lives are at stake.’
He also said they hope to know “shortly” whether a ceasefire can be achieved between Israel and Hamas.
‘We are trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas: the return of the hostages and the immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks, and allowing increased aid to the entire Gaza Strip, not just to the south. ‘ said the president.
