President Biden said Monday that he hopes a ceasefire 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 thought a ceasefire could begin, Biden said: "I hope by the beginning of the weekend. The end of the weekend. My national security adviser tells me that we're close. We're close. We're not done yet. My hope is by next Monday we'll have a ceasefire." Biden made the remarks in New York City after taping an appearance on NBC's Late Night With Seth Meyers, the AP reports.
A weekslong ceasefire would allow for the release of hostages being held in Gaza by the militant group in return for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The proposed six-week pause in fighting would include allowing hundreds of trucks to deliver aid into Gaza every day. Negotiators face an unofficial deadline of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan around March 10, a period that often sees heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions.
Biden make the spontaneous comments during a visit to an ice cream shop, in response to reporters' questions. It was the most hopeful report from a party to the negotiations in days, per the New York Times. Progress has been made difficult by Hamas demands that Israel has refused, as well as opposition to a ceasefire by some members of Israel's war cabinet, per the Washington Post. Israel has said it would resume its Gaza offensive when a ceasefire expired. (More Israel-Hamas war stories.)
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