Key Takeaways
- US President Joe Biden discusses Gaza ceasefire deal with Qatar and Egypt leaders to release Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
- The proposed agreement aims to bring an end to the conflict in Gaza and release Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
- The US, Qatar, and Egypt are involved in the Gaza ceasefire talks to bring a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Washington: US President Joe Biden spoke with the leaders of Qatar and Egypt to try and close a ceasefire deal for Gaza and for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, the White House announced.
“President Biden spoke with Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar and separately spoke with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt to discuss diplomatic efforts to bring the ceasefire and hostage release deal to a conclusion,” the White House said in a statement on Friday.
News of the discussion came after US media reported that Biden asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pull Israeli forces from Gaza’s border with Egypt. Israeli officials said this was to move forward negotiations on the hostage release and ceasefire deal.
Israeli officials cited in the report said Biden asked for Israeli forces to be removed from a small part of the Philadelphi corridor during the first phase of the deal.
The requested area comprises a 1-2 kilometer strip along the Egypt-Gaza border near where large numbers of displaced Palestinians are sheltering. Netanyahu partially agreed with Biden’s request, according to the report.
