Biden Backtracks On Likelihood Of A Cease-Fire By Monday After IDF Attack

Topline

President Joe Biden told reporters on Thursday he no longer believes there will be a temporary cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas by Monday, but said he’s still “hopeful,” despite news that the Israeli Defense Force killed more than 100 Palestinians waiting for aid Thursday morning.

President Joe Biden speaks to member of the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Brownsville, Texas. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Key Facts

In addition to saying it’s no longer likely there’s a cease-fire by Monday, Biden told reporters he knows the blast from the IDF that killed at least 104 Palestinians and wounded more than 700 others will complicate negotiations.

Biden had said earlier this week he believed a temporary cease-fire was possible by Monday of the next week, saying they were “close” on negotiations, but that there was still work to do.

Representatives from the U.S., Israel, Qatar and Egypt have been meeting to negotiate a cease-fire deal, and there were reports on Sunday that mediators were “close” to brokering a deal in which Israel would pause the fighting during Ramadan and Hamas would release some of its hostages.

Crucial Quote

“Hope springs eternal. I was on the telephone with the people in the region. I’m still working on it. Probably not by Monday but I’m hopeful,” Biden said to reporters outside of the White House on Thursday.

Further Reading

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