- Biden optimistic about Israel-Hamas ceasefire; talks ongoing
- Israeli strikes reported in Gaza, Lebanon amid rising tensions
- Polio outbreak feared in Gaza; relief efforts hindered by conflict
The US president’s words come as regional tensions have risen in recent weeks, with fatal Israeli attacks reported in Gaza and Lebanon.
US President Joe Biden has expressed greater optimism about a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas than in previous months.
“As of an hour ago, we were still playing. I am optimistic. It’s still not over. “Just a couple more issues, and I believe we have a shot,” he told reporters on Friday.
His words come as regional tensions have risen in recent weeks, and new Israeli strikes were reported in Lebanon and Gaza on Saturday.
A strike on a house and an adjacent warehouse sheltering displaced persons at the entrance to the town of Zawaida, in central Gaza, early Saturday morning killed at least 18 people, including a 15-member family, hospital officials said.
According to a mortality list published by the al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, those killed included a meat distributor, his two wives, 11 of their children ranging in age from two to 22, their grandmother, and three other relatives.
The Israeli military, which said on Saturday that it was continuing attacks on militants in central Gaza, said it was looking into the report.
Lebanon’s health ministry stated that an Israeli strike targeted a residential building in the southern city of Nabatieh early Saturday, killing at least ten people and injuring five more.
The Israel Defence Forces claimed to have damaged a Hezbollah weapons storage site in the nighttime attack, as well as numerous other areas in southern Lebanon that it described as “a threat” or “military structures.
It follows a deadly rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Israel blamed on Hezbollah.
Israel retaliated by assassinating a high-ranking Hezbollah commander in Beirut’s outskirts.
Hezbollah and Iran have both promised to react against Israel for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political commander of the Palestinian Hamas group, in Tehran.
The tensions serve as the backdrop for current negotiations between Hamas and Israel to resolve the catastrophic 10-month war.
In a joint statement, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt said Washington had provided a revised plan that expanded on areas of agreement from the previous week, reducing gaps in a way that may allow for quick implementation of a deal.
The two-day negotiations concluded in Qatar on Friday night and will resume in Cairo next week. According to the joint statement, the mediators will continue to work on the idea in the meantime.
The path is now set for that outcome, saving lives, bringing relief to the people of Gaza, and de-escalating regional tensions,” the US, Qatar, and Egypt said in a statement.
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Separately, the Associated Press reported early Saturday that a US official claimed negotiators are working on a possible cease-fire and hostage release agreement in Gaza.
According to the official, a new “implementation cell” is being built in Cairo ahead of schedule.
The unit would concentrate on practicalities, such as liberating hostages, bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza, and ensuring the accord’s provisions are followed.
Israel issued a vague statement expressing appreciation for the mediators’ efforts, while Hamas’ statement did not seem pleased about the latest plan.
Palestinian health officials announced today that Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip has killed 40,074 individuals following the 7 October attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis.
Fears of a full-scale polio breakout
Meanwhile, relief organisations are urging an immediate halt to the Israel-Hamas conflict so that polio vaccinations can be increased and a full-fledged outbreak avoided.
In July, the virus was found in wastewater at six separate places, with at least one confirmed case and several others suspected.
Polio was eradicated in Gaza 25 years ago. Still, the area has become a breeding ground for the virus, according to relief agencies, with hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians crammed into tent camps and without access to clean water or efficient sewage and waste disposal.
The groups intend to vaccinate more than 600,000 youngsters to avoid a large outbreak but warn the plan is only possible with a respite in conflict.
