Beden hopes for Israeli-Hamas ceasefire early next week

United States President Joe Biden said he hopes a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which would stop fighting and enable the release of those still held hostage, could take effect early next week.

Asked when hoping such an agreement could be finalised, President Biden said: “I hope so at the beginning of the weekend. At the end of the weekend. My national security adviser tells me he's getting close. They're close. It's not over yet. My hope is that by Monday we'll have a 148x1 ...

President Biden made comments from New York after participating in an NBC channel show.

Negotiations continue for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, to enable the release of hostages held in Gaza by the militant group in exchange for Israel's release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The proposal for a six-week pause in combat would also enable sending hundreds of trucks daily with assistance necessary to Gaza's population.

Negotiators face an informal deadline with the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan about March 10th, a period often accompanied by increased tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.

Meanwhile, Israel has failed to implement a UN Supreme Court order to provide emergency aid to the desperate population at the Gaza Strip, human rights organisations Human Rights Watch said on Monday, a month after the historic decision in The Hague that ordered Israel to lower the intensity of military operations.

With a preliminary measure in response to South Africa's request for genocide, the UN's highest court ordered Israel to do everything it can to prevent death, destruction and genocide in the small Palestinian enclave. The court did not order the ban on military offensive that has caused a humanitarian disaster.

Israel denies the accusations and says it is struggling to defend itself.

With nearly five months of fighting, Israel is already preparing to expand its ground operation in Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza along the border with Egypt, where some 1.4 million Palestinians have been sheltered.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Monday that the army has presented the cabinet with the operational plan for the town of Rafah, as well as plans to evacuate civilians from fighting zones. No further details were provided.

The situation in Rafah has created global concern. Israel's allies have warned that Israel must protect civilians in the battle against the militant group Hamas. / VOA