Hopes for ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas quickly vanish | US News
It’s been a whirlwind 36 hours in Washington. Breakthrough or breakdown in Gaza?
The possibility of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which appeared hopeful over the weekend, faded as Sunday transitioned into Monday. A moment of hope quickly dissipated.
So, what’s the current situation?
During a phone call late Monday morning between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the likelihood of a deal being negotiated in Doha, Qatar seemed slim.
Instead, the focus shifted to Mr Netanyahu’s plans for the troops massing in southern Israel near the border with Gaza.
Latest news from the Middle East: Follow live updates
Israeli airstrikes hit Rafah. Pic: AP
Meanwhile, leaflets were dropping over Rafah, urging the residents to evacuate to Israeli-designated safe zones to the north.
President Biden has consistently communicated to Israeli leaders that the US would not support a ground invasion of Rafah without a viable plan for civilians, which has not been presented.
However, American influence over Israel has its limitations, as demonstrated in the past six months.
… (remaining content follows)…
Source link
