On Monday, President Biden welcomed Jordan's King Abdullah II to the White House for talks to work on a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.
Biden said he wishes to bring a halt to the fighting in the Gaza Strip "for at least six weeks" during his remarks at the White House.
Biden met with the Jordanian monarch to talk about the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terror group as well as the ways to achieve a peace deal between the Jewish state and Palestinian leaders. The two leaders met before addressing reporters at the White House Cross Hall with prepared statements.
According to Fox News, Biden said that the key elements of the deal are on the table, and some gaps remain. However, he noted that he has encouraged Israeli leaders to keep working to achieve the agreement.
Biden and the king also talked about Israel's military campaign in the southern Gazan city of Rafah. He said that the operation should not occur without a credible plan to guarantee the safety and support of more than one million Palestinians sheltering there who are "exposed and vulnerable."
The king claimed that they could not afford an Israeli attack on Rafah, and they were certain that it would produce another humanitarian catastrophe.
Israel announced on Monday that two Israeli hostages, Fernando Marman and Louis Har, who were in Rafah, were released.
IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a video message that the hostages were held captive in harsh conditions, and they were intentionally kept in the middle of a civilian neighborhood to try to prevent rescuing the hostages, but they successfully rescued them. "Fernando Marmon and Luis Har are now home in Israel. They have undergone medical examination and have been reunited with their families," he said.
Biden noted that a Palestinian state could make it possible for Israel to have long-term security and peace with its Arab neighbors. He added that effort was underway before the October 7 attacks and warned that it is even more urgent now.
However, Israel's previous proposals for a two-state solution with the Palestinian leadership have been turned down.
Abdullah claimed that the issues between Israel and Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem must be resolved, including the expansion of Israeli settlements and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which he said Muslim worshippers have not been permitted to enter.
Furthermore, he said that seven decades of occupation, death, and destruction have proven beyond any doubt that there can be no peace without a political device.
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US Sees Positive Signs on New Hostage Deal
According to two senior administration officials, US negotiators are making progress toward a possible agreement that would see Israel suspend military operations against Hamas in Gaza for two months in exchange for the release of more than 100 hostages who were taken during the attack on Israel on October 7.
The officials, who spoke about the sensitive discussions on condition of anonymity, stated on Saturday that the emerging terms of the yet-to-be-sealed deal would be revealed over two phases.
In the first phase, the conflict would cease to allow for the remaining women, the elderly, and the wounded hostages to be released by Hamas.
Israel and Hamas would try to work out details during the first 30 days of the halt for a second phase in which Israeli soldiers and civilian men would be released. The emerging deal also demands for Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Although the proposed agreement would not end the war, US officials believe it could set the stage for a long-term solution.
