WASHINGTON - US President Joe Biden on April 5 urged the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to pressure Hamas militants to agree to a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal ahead of a fresh round of talks this weekend in Cairo.
Central Intelligence Agency director Bill Burns will lead the US delegation, a US official said.
A senior Biden administration official said Mr Biden wrote letters to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Hamad al-Thani, on the state of the hostage talks, and “he urged them to secure commitments from Hamas to agree and abide by a deal”.
Mr Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 4, during which they discussed ongoing hostage negotiations and the round of talks in Cairo.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Mr Biden told Mr Netanyahu to empower his negotiators in Cairo so that a deal can be reached as soon as possible.
The United States and its allies view a ceasefire as essential to allowing more humanitarian aid to get into Gaza amid fears of famine among the Palestinians there.
Under the most recent proposal, Israel and Hamas would agree to a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the release of sick, elderly and wounded hostages held by Hamas. Progress on a deal has been stalled for weeks.
“This basic fact remains true: There would be a ceasefire in Gaza today had Hamas simply agreed to release this vulnerable category of hostages – the sick, wounded, elderly, and young women,” the senior Biden official said.
“The onus is on Hamas to release the hostages and bring relief to the people of Gaza through a prolonged ceasefire.”
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan will meet the families of the hostages at the White House on April 8, the official said.
Mr Kirby said there were no plans by the United States to conduct an independent investigation into the killings of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza.
The Israeli military dismissed two officers and formally reprimanded senior commanders, after an inquiry into the killing of the aid workers in a Gaza air strike this week found serious errors and breaches of procedure.
Mr Netanyahu had briefed Mr Biden in their phone call on April 4 on the general findings of Israel’s inquiry into the incident.
Mr Biden warned Mr Netanyahu that Israel must take steps to address civilian harm and humanitarian suffering, or else Washington would take unspecified steps in response.
Israel also announced it was opening the Ashdod port and Erez crossing to increase the flow of aid into Gaza.
Mr Biden, asked if he had threatened to withhold military support for Israel, told reporters on April 5: “I asked them to do what they’re doing.” REUTERS
