US Senior Official Claims Ceasefire Negotiations In US Reach Final Stage

The condition of Gaza refugees queues for food/DOK UNRWA

JAKARTA - Negotiations regarding the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza conflict are said to be in the final stages. United States (US) President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will discuss developments in ceasefire negotiations in today's meeting.

Senior US officials say existing obstacles can be overcome and there will be more meetings aimed at reaching an agreement between Israel and Hamas next week.

Hamas-led fighters stormed southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and holding 250 people hostage, according to Israeli tallies, sparking a war that killed more than 38,000 people in Gaza.

Hamas and other militants are still holding 120 people hostage. Israel believes about a third of them died.

Stopped talks and began for months have failed to come to an agreement to free some of the remaining hostages.

Senior US officials say both Israel and Hamas still have some issues to solve but an agreement has been reached in which a six-week ceasefire will be carried out in exchange for the release of women, elderly men and injured hostages over a 42-day period.

The negotiations this time are very different from a month ago when we faced some of the fundamental problems that cannot be bridged, the official said.

Biden will hold talks with Netanyahu and then Vice President Kamala Harris will hold a separate meeting with Israeli leaders.

Senior US officials said Biden and Harris were "completely aligned" in US policies against Israel and Gaza.

"Israel will hear full alignment," the official said.