Biden pushes for Gaza ceasefire, excluding Hamas from future leadership
Shafaq News/ US President Joe Biden announced, on Wednesday, that Washington will intensify its efforts alongside mediators to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, emphasizing the need for a resolution that excludes Hamas from power.
Posting on X, Biden said, "Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkiye, Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza with the hostages released and an end to the war without Hamas in power."
Following Biden's statement, Hamas expressed willingness to cooperate with any initiative aiming for a ceasefire. In a statement released shortly after the Israel-Hezbollah truce in Lebanon, Hamas reiterated its conditions for halting the Gaza conflict.
"We express our commitment to cooperating with any efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza. We are concerned with stopping the aggression against our people, within the framework of the national consensus on the conditions for a ceasefire, which include a ceasefire, the withdrawal of occupation forces, the return of displaced persons, and the completion of a genuine and comprehensive prisoner exchange deal," Hamas said.
The ceasefire efforts come after weeks of conflict that erupted on October 8, 2023, following the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas. Hours earlier, a truce brokered by the US between Israel and Hezbollah took effect in Lebanon. The ceasefire in Gaza, scheduled to begin at 04:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday (02:00 GMT), is aimed at ending the violence and addressing humanitarian concerns.
