Joe Biden hopes for Israel-Gaza ceasefire by next week

Joe Biden has said he hopes to see a ceasefire “by next Monday” in the Israel-Gaza war. 

There have been reports of some progress being reached in ongoing negotiations involving Israel and Hamas representatives in Qatar.

“My national security advisor tells me that we’re close,” Biden said.

Israel launched an invasion – air and ground – in Gaza after Hamas gunmen killed 1,200 people in Israel on 7 October. 

The attackers took 253 people hostage – some have since been released. 

In Gaza, at least 29,782 people have been killed in the territory since then, including 90 on Sunday alone. 

The US is Israel’s main ally, President Joe Biden was speaking to reporters in New York City about the possible ceasefire. 

“We’re close,” he said on Monday. “We’re not done yet. My hope is by next Monday we’ll have a ceasefire.”

Last week the US was widely criticised for vetoing a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Instead, it proposed its own temporary ceasefire resolution, which also warned Israel not to invade the southern Gazan city of Rafah.