US and Jordan throw their weight behind Gaza ceasefire effort ahead of new talks

US President Joe Biden and Jordan's King Abdullah kept up pressure for a Gaza Strip ceasefire as senior mediators were to resume work on Tuesday on an Israel-Hamas truce agreement, with the threat of an Israeli ground offensive looming in Rafah.

Senior officials from the US, Egypt, Israel and Qatar were expected to meet in Cairo to work on a three-phase framework that would see the release of hostages and achieve an extended pause, sources familiar with the matter said.

"The United States is working on a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas which would bring an immediate and sustained period of calm into Gaza for at least six weeks," Biden told reporters at the White House on Monday after talks with Abdullah.

Saying he was working on the issue "day and night," Biden said a six-week break in hostilities would provide a foundation "to build something more enduring."

For his part, Abdullah underscored the urgency of the plight of Palestinians, especially more than one million civilians seeking refuge in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

"We cannot stand by and let this continue," he said. "We need a lasting ceasefire now. This war must end."



Reuters