Joe Biden, the US President, has announced that Israel has agreed to refrain from participation in the Gaza Strip conflict during the Muslim fasting period of Ramadan, which commences on the evening of 10th March and concludes on 9th April’s evening.
According to Biden’s interview with the NBC broadcaster, Israel also pledged to facilitate the evacuation of the city of Rafah, located on the Egyptian border, before escalating its conflict with Hamas. A ceasefire could potentially pave the way for a two-state resolution and assist in normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Israel’s support could wane, warns Biden
Biden expressed his concerns over the escalating number of Palestinian casualties and warned that Israel’s global support could dwindle if the situation persists. The interview was recorded on Monday and aired on Tuesday.
While enjoying ice cream in New York on Monday evening, Biden appeared hopeful about an imminent ceasefire between Hamas, a militant Palestinian group, and Israel in the Gaza war. He responded to a press question by saying, “My national security adviser tells me we’re close,” however, he added that their goal hadn’t been achieved yet. “I hope that we will have a ceasefire by next Monday,” Biden stated. The USA is a close ally of Israel.
The US government has been involved in weeks-long negotiations for a new ceasefire, which might lead to the release of all hostages. However, the likelihood of international mediators brokering a deal by the start of Ramadan on 10th March remains uncertain.
Earlier, the media reported a lack of progress in the challenging negotiations. Israeli television channels Channel 12 and Kan cited officials saying that a negotiation framework offered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States didn’t align with Hamas’ requirements. Hamas accused Israel of maintaining a blockade stance in response.
Hamas has received a draft ceasefire agreement
A high-ranking source close to the ceasefire talks in Paris revealed that a draft has been handed over to Hamas, proposing a 40-day suspension of all military operations. The draft also plans for an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israel at a 1:10 ratio. The source informed Reuters news agency that under the proposed ceasefire, hospitals and bakeries in the Gaza Strip would undergo repairs and daily 500 trucks bearing aid supplies would be dispatched to the region.