Washington urges Gaza cease-fire deal amid Israeli plans for Rafah assault | VOANews

tension in Rafa after Israel signaled its intention over Washington's objections to launch a ground assault on the packed town at gaza's Southern point and tension in Washington amid reports that Israel and Hamas were close to a ceasefire deal Monday Jordan's King lunched privately Monday with US President Joe Biden and the administration said Gaza was discussed Biden also called Israel's Leader by phone Monday morning the White House said its wishes are clear we want to get these hostages out we want to get a ceasefire in place for 6 weeks we want to increase humanitarian assistance and the last thing that I want to do is say anything at this Podium that's going to put that process at risk in Gaza resident celebrated at Monday's news that Hamas had accepted an Egyptian country ceasefire proposal the state department was more skeptical about whether a deal had in fact been reached ceasefire is absolutely achievable there has been a deal on the table a proposal on the table that would achieve an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages now as for hamas's resp response which I think gets to to your question uh again I don't want to characterize it in any sort of detail until we've had a chance to review it in depth and talk with our partners in the region about it meanwhile Israel's military has told Rafa residents to evacuate ahead of a ground operation we examine every answer and reply very seriously and find every possibility regarding the negotiations for the return of the hostages to their homes as a central task as quickly as possible and at the same time we continue our operations in the Gaza Strip and will continue to do so the United Nations Express concerns over an incursion into Rafa any escalation of hostilities resulting from a fullscale incursion into Rafa will push residents and displace people currently living there past their breaking point and the White House expressed concerns about civilians after what appeared to be aerial strikes there on Monday it doesn't matter whether it's missiles or Rockets things that kill innocent people that's not okay uh and again the president made it clear that we don't want to see operations in Rafa that put at risk those million and a half people that are there it's those people who today are caught in the middle of all this I need a pwing use the White House

Channel: Voice of America

Views: 75,534

Keywords: Hamas, Israel, Jordan, joe biden

Id: y0ozXYPAylc

Length: 2min 22sec (142 seconds)

Published: Tue May 07 2024