Tuesday, February 18th, 2025

Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu discuss progress on Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal


US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the progress of ongoing negotiations regarding a ceasefire-hostage agreement regarding the situation in Gaza, the White House said in a statement on Sunday (local time) .

Currently, negotiations on a Gaza ceasefire-hostage agreement are taking place in Doha, Qatar, with a high-level Israeli delegation including Mossad Director David Barnia, Israel’s Internal Security Agency Director Ronen Bar, Netanyahu’s foreign policy advisor Ophir Falk and others. Is included.

According to the statement, the ceasefire-hostage discussions centered around a plan based on May 27, 2024, the arrangement outlined by President Biden last year and supported by the UN Security Council.

“President Biden spoke today with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel. “The two leaders discussed the ongoing negotiations in Doha for a ceasefire and hostage release agreement based on May 27, 2024, an arrangement described by the President last year and unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council,” the White House statement said. Read in.

According to CNN, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir had previously rejected the proposal.

President Biden also highlighted the changed regional circumstances following the ceasefire in Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and Iran’s shift in influence in the region, and increased humanitarian assistance by ensuring a ceasefire in Gaza, the return of hostages and stopping the fighting.

“The President discussed the fundamentally changed regional circumstances following the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and the weakening of Iran’s power in the region. “They stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of hostages, along with an increase in humanitarian assistance as the fighting stops under the agreement.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu briefed the US President about the mandate given to his/her negotiating team in Doha and thanked Biden as well as US President-elect Donald Trump for their cooperation.

“The Prime Minister discussed with the US President the progress of negotiations to release our hostages and informed him/her about the mandate given to the negotiating team in Doha to pursue the release of our hostages. Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked President Biden and President-elect Donald Trump for their support in this sacred mission, a statement from the Israel Prime Minister’s Office said.

Earlier in 2024, Qatar had mediated the war and pushed the warring groups into a one-week ceasefire that was effective from November 24 to December 1.



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