Biden Urges Caution as Ceasefire Deal Nears in Gaza

AFP/APP
Washington: US President Joe Biden warned all sides on Friday not to undermine efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza, as he announced that a deal was nearing after 10 months of conflict.
In a statement, Biden said that Secretary of State Antony Blinken was traveling to the Middle East to “underscore that with the comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal now in sight, no one in the region should take actions to undermine this process.”
Blinken is set to leave for Israel on Saturday. Biden previously expressed frustration over a strike on July 31 in Tehran, widely suspected to have been carried out by Israel, that killed a top Hamas leader involved in ceasefire negotiations.
The United States, in talks that concluded Friday in Doha, presented a proposal to bridge gaps and initiate a deal outlined by Biden in May. This deal would freeze fighting for an initial six weeks and lead to the release of hostages and prisoners.
Diplomatic teams are currently finalizing details before a new round of ceasefire talks in Cairo scheduled for late next week. Biden stated that the diplomats “will report to me regularly.”