'Time to end the war': Biden claims progress on Gaza deal
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President Joe Biden alleges that US mediators are making progress toward a Gaza ceasefire deal, urging an end to the war on Gaza.
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US President Joe Biden speaks at a news conference on the final day of the NATO summit in Washington on July 11, 2024. (AP)
In a high-stakes, nearly hour-long news conference designed to address skeptics of his reelection bid, Biden expressed concerns about Israeli actions while reaffirming his overall support for the US' most important ally.
After the NATO summit in Washington, he said "There's a lot of things in retrospect I wish I had been able to convince the Israelis to do, but the bottom line is we have a chance now. It's time to end this war," while acknowledging that gaps must be closed as "difficult, complex issues" remain between "Israel" and Palestinian Resistance movement, Hamas.
"The trend is positive, and I'm determined to get this deal done and bring an end to this war, which should end now," he said.
More than a month ago, Biden laid out a plan in which "Israel" would temporarily halt its aggression in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Resistance would release captives, preparing for what could be a permanent end to the nine-month war.
Hamas returned with counterproposals, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced pushback from some of his hard-right government allies. Despite this, diplomats have reported progress in the latest round of talks, which concluded Thursday in Qatar, the key mediator.
Biden cautious about a tragedy in Gaza, yet is fueling 'Israel' with weapons
Biden has shown support for "Israel" since the beginning of the war, despite the thousands of Palestinians massacred under the occupation. But as the numbers grew, the Biden administration attempted to please the public eye by somewhat pressuring "Israel", but according to Biden, the occupation was "less than cooperative."
"This war cabinet is one of the most conservative war cabinets in the history of Israel, and there's no ultimate answer other than a two-state solution here," he said.
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By attempting to pressure "Israel", Biden decided to hold up the delivery of massive 2,000-pound bombs while moving forward on other munitions. He said, "I'm not providing the 2,000-pound bombs. They cannot be used in Gaza or any populated area without causing great human tragedy and damage."
Biden pressed "Israel" for a "day-after" plan for the war's end and discussed his efforts to persuade Arab states to help with security. He also expressed disappointment over the $230 million pier built by the US military to deliver aid into Gaza, which has faced numerous issues, including weather problems, and is now set to be permanently discontinued.
"I was hopeful that would be more successful," Biden said.
Netanyahu trying to prolong the war: Hamas
On Thursday, a source in the Palestinian Resistance told Al Mayadeen that "Israel" is stalling in providing clear answers to Hamas' demands to complete a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange deal. The source said that "Israel" is stalling in giving answers regarding the issue of detainees or the withdrawal from the Philadelphi Axis and the Rafah Crossing.
According to the source, it does not seem that there is any real progress in the negotiations taking place in Doha, and "Israel" is trying to win more time in the process.
The source told Al Mayadeen that Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to prolong the negotiations and avoid giving clear answers until his return from Washington, where he is set to give a speech before the US Congress.
Late last month, Netanyahu declared his readiness to endure personal criticism if it ensures that the Israeli occupation receives the necessary ammunition from the United States to sustain the genocide in Gaza. This statement came after a contentious week marked by a video Netanyahu posted on social media on Tuesday, where he accused the US of withholding military support.
Speaking in English, Netanyahu claimed in the video that it was "inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunition from Israel."
