U.S. President Biden said on Monday that he is hopeful negotiators will reach a deal that would pause Israel’s military operations in Gaza within the week.
The ceasefire agreement would be in exchange for the release of some of the hostages being held by Hamas in the war-torn territory, according to reports.
Biden, who provided a spontaneous update on hostage negotiations while responding to reporters’ questions, was in New York City after taping a segment for NBC’s Late Night With Seth Meyers.
The president’s remarks on the ceasefire deal come after active negotiations resulted in Israeli officials tentatively agreeing to terms that would lead to a six-week pause in fighting in exchange for the release of roughly 40 hostages, according to The New York Times. Israeli officials are scheduled to meet in Qatar with mediators from that nation, the United States and Egypt, the outlet reported.
While speaking with reporters during a stop at an ice-cream shop in New York City, Biden appeared to be hopeful when discussing a potential ceasefire deal.
When asked if he had a sense of when the ceasefire would start, the president said, “I hope by the end of the weekend.”
“My national security adviser tells me that we’re close,” Biden continued. “We’re close. We’re not done yet. My hope is by next Monday, we’ll have a ceasefire.”
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