Biden-Ceasefire Unlikely By Monday

Speaking briefly to reporters, US President Joe Biden when asked on the prospect of an Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement says that 'hope springs eternal,' but that it is unlikely to start by Monday 4 March (previously raised by Biden as a target date). Says that the incident outside Gaza City that saw scores killed during an aid delivery will complicate ceasefire talks.

• Shortly after Biden's initial commentstalking up the prospect of a deal by next week, figures from both Israel and Hamas downplayed the likelihood of a ceasefire agreement coming into place in such short time. CNN: "But an Israeli official told CNN Tuesday that Israel was “surprised that he [Biden] used the word Monday and that he used the word ceasefire.” “I don’t know on what basis he said it,” the Israeli official said [...] Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, told CNN Tuesday that the group was unaware of any ceasefire agreement that could be brokered by next Monday. “There is nothing,” Naim said."