ISRAEL-HAMAS: 'NO POSSIBILITY' OF GAZA CEASEFIRE, SAYS BIDEN

US President Joe Biden has said that there is “no possibility” of a ceasefire in Gaza. Biden said that the US government will not stop until it gets the hostages out. Speaking to reporters about the chances of a Gaza ceasefire, Biden said, “None, No possibility.”

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Asked about an update on getting hostages out, he said, “We’re still optimistic.” In his message to the families of the hostages in Gaza, Biden said, “We’re not going to stop until we get them out.” Speaking to reporters before Air Force One departure at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Biden said that the retaliatory strikes in the Middle East are working “in the sense that we’re hitting the targets strategically.” Biden said he had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a more than three-day pause.

Asked whether he had asked Netanyahu to pause for three days to get the hostages out for that length of time, Biden said, “ Yes. I’ve asked for even a longer pause for some of them.” Asked if he was frustrated with Netanyahu, Biden admitted, “It’s taking a little longer than I hoped.”

Meanwhile, Joe Biden welcomed the Israeli decision to formalize humanitarian pauses to its fighting in Gaza and called it a “step in the right direction.”