US President Joe Biden confirmed on Thursday that there is currently “no possibility” of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Biden told reporters in response to a question about the chances of implementing a ceasefire, saying, “There is no possibility,” before heading to Illinois, according to Agence France-Presse.
Before that, the White House announced that Israel had agreed to implement a daily four-hour “truce” in northern Gaza to allow residents to head south.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters: “Israel will begin implementing ceasefires for four hours each day in areas of northern Gaza, with an announcement three hours in advance.”
Biden asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to impose daily truces during a telephone conversation on Monday.
Previously, the Reuters agency, citing an informed source, reported that a tripartite meeting had taken place on Thursday in Doha between the director of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the head of the Israeli secret service (Mossad) and the prime minister of Qatar. The minister will discuss the parameters of an agreement to free the hostages and reach a truce from the attack. On Gaza.
The source added that the advantage of the tripartite meeting is to bring the three parties together at the same table at the same time to speed up the process.
The talks also discussed the possibility of importing fuel into Gaza for humanitarian purposes.
Qatar, where several Hamas political leaders reside, is leading mediation efforts between Hamas and Israeli officials to release detainees captured by the movement during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which left 1,400 people dead.
On Wednesday, an informed source told Reuters that Qatar-mediated negotiations were underway to secure the release of 10 to 15 people held by Hamas in exchange for a humanitarian truce for a day or two in Gaza.
The source added that negotiations are taking place in coordination with the United States and that the truce will allow Hamas to gather details on all civilian detainees and secure the release of dozens more.
The source, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “The exact number is not yet clear at this stage.”
Reuters also cited an Egyptian security source as saying a ceasefire was expected within 24 to 48 hours or an outlining of the scope of major operations over the next week in exchange for the release of detainees.
The source said the United States and other countries have stepped up pressure on Israel to achieve this goal.