The US president held a phone call with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, and the two leaders “underscored that the release of hostages would result in an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza over a period of at least six weeks”, the White House said in a statement.
“They also discussed planning to surge humanitarian assistance into Gaza and how the ceasefire under the hostage deal would further help enable those efforts and ensure that assistance reached civilians in need throughout Gaza,” it added.
Biden and Sheikh Tamim also discussed “the tragic and alarming incident earlier today in northern Gaza”, where Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid, killing dozens, the statement said.
“Both leaders grieved the loss of civilian lives and agreed that this incident underscored the urgency of bringing negotiations to a close as soon as possible and expanding the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza,” the White House said.
source: AlJazeera