US President Joe Biden believes there is a realistic chance of extending the cease-fire that began in Gaza. He said Friday's release of the first round of hostages was "just the beginning" of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
While talking to reporters in Nantucket, Massachusetts, the US President said these things about the conflict and ceasefire situation in the Palestinian territories.
Biden is staying in Nantucket to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family members.
A four-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt began yesterday. Biden has led the mediation of this ceasefire. He told reporters on Friday that it was time to work afresh on outlining a two-state solution for peace between Israel and Palestine.
On Friday, Hamas handed over 24 hostages to the international charity Red Cross for the first time, according to Qatar's foreign ministry. Among them, 13 are Israeli citizens, 10 are Thai citizens and 1 is from the Philippines. Israel also released 39 Palestinian women and children held in its prisons.
In addition to the release of hostages under the agreement, the agreement reached between the two sides to stop fighting for four days is also being accepted.
Hopeful to extend this temporary ceasefire, Biden said, 'I think there is a realistic opportunity to extend this ceasefire.'
Expressing his satisfaction with the implementation of this ceasefire, the US President said, 'This morning, I was with my team during the implementation of this agreement for a few days. This is just the beginning. But what has happened so far has been good.'
Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. According to Israel, about 1,200 people were killed in this attack by Hamas. In addition, Hamas has taken more than two hundred people from Israel and taken them as hostages to Gaza.
In response, Israel started indiscriminate bombardment by blocking Gaza from October 7. In addition, they continued to conduct ground operations in Gaza. According to Gaza's Hamas government, more than 14,800 people, including many children, have been killed in Israeli strikes in the besieged Gaza Strip.
In such a situation, a four-day ceasefire agreement was reached between Hamas and Israel on the terms of the exchange of hostages and prisoners, which began to take effect yesterday.
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