Biden Says There Will Be No Gaza Ceasefire Deal Soon

The main sticking point between the two sides is that Hamas wants Israel to commit to a permanent ceasefire, which Netanyahu has ruled out

President Biden said on Thursday that he doesn’t expect a Gaza ceasefire deal to be reached anytime soon as the Israeli slaughter and starvation of Palestinians continues.

According to The Associated Press, Biden was asked at the Group of Seven summit if he thought a truce deal would be reached soon. He simply replied, “No,” and added that he still hasn’t “lost hope.”

His comments came a few days after Hamas responded to the ceasefire proposal that President Biden publicly outlined on May 31. The Times of Israel reported that the main sticking point is that Hamas wants Israel to commit to a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal from Gaza up front.

The initial proposal involved a first phase with a six-week ceasefire, and during that time, a permanent truce would be negotiated and then implemented in the second phase. Israeli officials thought the language was vague enough that Israel and Hamas could enter the first phase without Israel actually committing to a permanent ceasefire.

After Biden first outlined the proposal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected it, saying he wouldn’t agree to a permanent ceasefire until Israel achieves its goals in Gaza, which includes the destruction of Hamas. Netanyahu’s repeated rejection of a permanent truce led Hamas to seek stronger assurances.

Despite Netanyahu’s rejection of Biden’s proposal, US officials continue to claim it was accepted by Israel and are putting all the blame for the lack of a deal on Hamas.

Meanwhile, the genocidal war on Gaza continues as Israeli bombardments hit areas of Rafah on Thursday. A day earlier, an eight-year-old Palestinian girl starved to death due to the Israeli siege. The girl, Hanan Al-Zaanin, was supposed to be evacuated to Egypt to receive treatment for severe malnutrition, but the Rafah border crossing has been closed since Israel captured it on May 7.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.