Posted on 07/11/24
| News Source: Arutz-7
US President Joe Biden on Thursday told reporters in Washington that gaps remain between Hamas and Israel on a ceasefire and hostage release deal, but "the trend is positive".
"Six weeks ago, I laid out a detailed plan and that framework is now agreed on by both Israel and Hamas...there's still gaps to close. We're making progress. The trend is positive,” the President said, speaking at the NATO summit held in the US capital.
Biden added that he would be sending a team to "hammer out the details."
He noted that he was determined to bring about an end to the Israel-Hamas war, which he added "should end now."
“I told Israel not to make the same mistake we did in Iraq and Afghanistan. I told them that we would help them find the bad guys - led by [Hamas leader] Yahya Sinwar. We have a chance now. The war can be ended. This does not mean that we will no longer pursue Sinwar and Hamas,” said Biden.
He also reiterated his past stance that “Israel should not occupy Gaza” once the war against Hamas ends.
The President also said, "There's a lot of things in retrospect I wish I had been able to convince the Israelis to do, but the bottom line is we have a chance now."
Biden’s comments came as Israel and Hamas continue indirect negotiations on a hostage release deal. On Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Office issued an update in which it said that “the negotiating team returned last night from a four-way summit with the mediators in Doha. Discussed at the meeting were the clauses of the deal on returning the hostages and ways to implement the outline, while ensuring all the objectives of the war.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held meetings with the negotiating team on Thursday morning, the statement said.