Don’t ignore the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, warns Biden

American President Joe Biden has warned all parties involved in the negotiations for an agreement to stop the violence in Gaza not to underestimate the efforts.

Biden declared that we are “closer than ever” to ending the conflict following the latest round of talks, but a senior Hamas official expressed skepticism.

The president also announced that he would send Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel to continue “intensive efforts to finalize this agreement”.

His comments follow a joint statement by the US, Qatar and Egypt – which revealed they have presented a proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release agreement that “bridges the gap” between Israel and Hamas.

Any sign of progress in the Qatari talks is seen as important by governments keen to avoid Gaza’s war becoming a regional conflict.

Said the mediators that the previous two days of talks to end the war were “serious, constructive and conducted in a good atmosphere”.

Technical teams are expected to continue working in the coming days on the details of how to implement the proposed policies before senior government officials meet again in Cairo, hoping to reach an agreement on the terms set in Doha.

Mr. Biden later in the statement said that he spoke separately with the leaders of Qatar and Egypt, who expressed that they “strongly support” the proposal.

He added that he is sending Mr. Blinken back to the Middle East to “confirm my ironclad support for Israel’s security” and “to emphasize that since there is a comprehensive ceasefire agreement and the release of the hostages, no one in the region should take actions to undermine this plan.” .

Although the mediators’ statement appears to be a positive development, there is still a long way to go before an agreement on disarmament can be reached.

Despite this, Mr Blinken told American reporters that he was more hopeful than ever that an agreement would be reached but said that if he revealed why, he would “take it out”.

Asked when the ceasefire might start, he said “that remains to be seen”.

It’s not the first time the US president has said he thinks a deal is close and not everyone is optimistic about his caution.

A Hamas official – who did not take part in the talks, but is in contact with Qatari and Egyptian officials – told the BBC: “What the organization’s leadership was informed today about the results of the Doha ceasefire meetings does not include a commitment to do what was agreed on July 2.”

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, said it appreciated the efforts “to withdraw Hamas from its rejection of the agreement that will release the hostages”.

The Israeli military launched an operation in Gaza to destroy Hamas in response to an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, in which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were captured.

More than 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the area.

A deal agreed in November saw Hamas release 105 hostages to end the week-long release of 240 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Israel says 111 hostages are still being held, 39 of whom are presumed dead.

The first phase of the agreement announced by President Biden, based on Israel’s proposal of May 27, will include a “total and complete freeze” that will last for six weeks, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all occupied areas of Gaza, and exchanges in other areas. hostages – including women, the elderly and the sick or injured – Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

The second phase will include the release of all other living hostages and a “permanent end to hostilities”. The third will see the start of a major plan to rebuild Gaza and the return of the remains of the dead hostages.

Meanwhile, Israeli military operations in Gaza continue, as new evacuation orders are issued from several areas north of Khan Younis and Deir Balah – further reducing humanitarian space.

Israel said the bases have become a danger to civilians “due to massive terrorist acts” and the firing of rockets and missiles into Israel.

The UN agency for Palestine refugees (Unrwa) said: “Once again, fear is spreading as families have no place to go.” People are still trapped in an endless nightmare of death and destruction on a massive scale.”

Making the need for a ceasefire even more urgent is that the polio virus – which is spread through faeces – is now circulating in the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have sought refuge. refuge from fighting.

“Let us be clear: The greatest antidote to polio is peace and an immediate end to violence,” said UN Secretary General António Guterres.