“Ramadan is coming, and the Israelis have agreed that they will not engage in [military] activities during Ramadan,” Joe Biden said on NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers.” This possible truce “gives us time to get out all the hostages” held by Hamas, he added.
No confirmation or clarification from the White House was released after this speech. The extract, which was transcribed by the Associated Press agency, had not been distributed online as of Tuesday morning. In the same broadcast, Mr. Biden also estimated: “I hope that next Monday [March 4], we will have a ceasefire.” “My national security advisor tells me we are close, close, but not there yet,” he said.
The mediating countries, Qatar, Egypt and the United States, are trying to negotiate a compromise with Israel and Hamas with a view to a truce. But Israel demands the release of all hostages during this break. Hamas, for its part, is demanding a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip and the lifting of the blockade imposed by Israel since 2007. During the attack of October 7, 2023, some 250 people were kidnapped and taken to Gaza. According to Israel, 130 hostages are still being held there, 31 of whom are believed to have died.
An upcoming land offensive in Rafah reaffirmed by Benjamin Netanyahu
Tamim Ben Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, a country at the center of negotiation efforts and which hosts certain Hamas leaders, begins a two-day state visit to Paris on Tuesday, the French presidency announced. The Qatari leader is expected to meet Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday afternoon at the Elysée, then have dinner with him.
According to Qatar's official news agency, the emir just met Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Doha and discussed with him efforts "aimed at reaching an immediate and permanent ceasefire agreement ". But Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed on Sunday that Israel would soon launch a ground operation against Rafah, allowing, according to him, a “total victory” over Hamas in “a few weeks”. A truce would only “delay” this offensive, he stressed.
The army presented Monday to the war cabinet "a plan for the evacuation of populations from combat zones in the Gaza Strip, as well as the plan for future operations", according to the prime minister's office, without giving any details. detail on where civilians could take refuge.
