Biden notes continuation of Gaza ceasefire talks

US President Joe Biden has noted the continuation of work on the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

"Work on it is still ongoing, but nothing can be predicted. <...> Israel claims that they will be able to reach an agreement, but Hamas is retreating [from the deal]," Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

On August 15, a new round of consultations aimed at achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and securing the release of Hamas-held hostages began in Doha. In a joint statement issued by Egypt, Qatar, and the US following the consultations, it was noted that the talks had taken place "in a positive atmosphere."

During the consultations, the US, supported by Qatar and Egypt, presented a proposal intended to reduce the differences between Hamas and Israel, the statement said. However, Hamas claimed that the new US initiative only considers Israel’s interests.

Mediators agreed to hold the next meeting in Cairo by the end of this week. It was specified that technical teams will continue to develop mechanisms for implementing key points of the agreement, including those related to the exchange of hostages held in the Gaza Strip for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, as well as the humanitarian situation in the enclave.