US President Joe Biden spoke by phone with the leaders of Qatar and Egypt in connection with the peace negotiations for Gaza, reported Reuters, quoted by BNR.
Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi discussed the latest developments in the negotiations, as well as the danger of military escalation in Rafah. The two also touched on the issue of the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, which is an obstacle to the achievement of broad-based ceasefire agreements between "Hamas" and Israel, specified by the Egyptian presidency.
The White House added that Biden urged both al-Sisi and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad al-Thani, with whom he spoke separately, to exert maximum efforts to secure the release of the hostages held by "Hamas" . "Currently, this is the only obstacle to an immediate truce and relief for the people of Gaza," added the administration of the American president.
Earlier, Egyptian television reported that the delegation of "Hamas" in Cairo has left the negotiations and will return with a written response to the Gaza ceasefire proposals.