The White House said Monday U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to work with Egypt and Qatar to ensure the implementation of a proposed cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
In phone calls with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Biden urged the leaders to do all they can to push for the release of hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
A White House statement described the hostage release as “the only obstacle to an immediate ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza.”
The United States, Egypt and Qatar have been involved in months of talks focused on achieving a halt in the fighting. A proposal under consideration now includes a cease-fire lasting about six weeks, the release of hostages held by Hamas, the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and an increase in humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Hamas officials met with representatives from Egypt and Qatar in Cairo on Monday to discuss the proposal.
The talks come as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting the region to discuss the situation with officials in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel.
Palestinian health officials said Monday a series of Israeli airstrikes overnight killed at least 22 people in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah.
Witnesses and medics said the airstrikes hit three houses in Rafah.
The area located along the border between Gaza and Egypt is currently host to more than half of Gaza’s population as people seek shelter from Israel’s military campaign aimed at eliminating the Hamas militant group.
Israel’s military said Monday its warplanes carried out strikes against Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon.
Hamas killed 1,200 people in the initial attack in Israel last October and captured about 250 hostages according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s subsequent retaliatory counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,400 people, about two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Hamas is believed to still be holding about 100 hostages, along with the remains of 30 or more hostages who have either been killed or otherwise died in the ensuing months.
Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
