Biden stated a ceasefire in Gaza is unlikely by Monday, citing a recent shooting incident at an aid point that could complicate negotiations. He mentioned the US is reviewing conflicting reports of the incident, where the Hamas-run health ministry claimed Israeli troops killed 104 people.
Earlier this week, Biden had anticipated the possibility of reaching a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas by Monday, contingent upon the release of hostages held by Hamas.
“Hope springs eternal,” Biden told reporters as he departed the White House for a pre-election trip to Texas to visit the US-Mexico border. Regarding the ceasefire timing, he mentioned, “I was on the telephone with people in the region… Probably not by Monday, but I’m hopeful.”
The US president admitted to not having clarity on the events in Gaza City earlier on Thursday, one of the worst single incidents of the nearly five-month war. “We’re checking that right now. There are two competing versions of what happened, I don’t have an answer yet,” Biden informed reporters en route to his helicopter.
When asked if he was concerned about how it might complicate the delicate ceasefire negotiations, Biden replied, “I know it will.”
The health ministry in Gaza, which is under Hamas control, reported that Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd of Palestinians at an aid distribution point on Thursday, resulting in at least 104 deaths and over 700 injuries.
Israeli sources confirmed that troops fired at a crowd they perceived as rushing toward aid trucks, believing they posed a threat to Israeli forces. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that many individuals were crushed by the trucks themselves.
The United States has supported Israel since the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7 but has recently advocated for a ceasefire and a reduction in civilian casualties.
According to the Gaza health ministry, the Palestinian death toll from the war has now surpassed 30,000, as reported earlier on Thursday.
