Biden optimistic about ceasefire deal between israel and Hamas by next Monday

"We're close, it's not done yet, and my hope is that by next Monday we'll have a ceasefire," Biden said.

His statement follows the return of the Israeli delegation from Paris on Saturday, where they received a revised proposal for a prisoner exchange in exchange for a temporary ceasefire, drafted by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.

This development comes amidst international condemnation of Israel's plan to invade Rafah, a densely populated city of over 1.4 million people. According to Axios, the agreement for the revised proposal was reached during a meeting with representatives from the US, Qatar, Egypt, and Israel.

Details of the modifications were not disclosed, but reports cited progress on the matter.

On Friday, Hamas confirmed the conclusion of a visit by its delegation, led by political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, to Egypt for several days. Discussions with the Egyptian intelligence chief and his assistants focused on the situation in Gaza, the cessation of Israeli attacks, the return of refugees, and humanitarian aid.

Hamas also stated that the delegation addressed the prisoner exchange issue and Israel's plan regarding access limitations to al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan. (ILKHA)