Israel says it has no ‘timeframe’ for end to Gaza hostilities

Reuters | Israel

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

US President Joe Biden pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday to reduce tensions in the Gaza conflict on the path to a ceasefire, a White House spokeswoman said.

Netanyahu said earlier he could not set a timeframe for an end to 10 days of hostilities as Israel’s military pounded the Palestinian enclave with airstrikes and Gaza’s ruling Hamas militants unleashed new cross-border rocket attacks.

But an Egyptian security source said the two sides had agreed to a ceasefire in principle after help from mediators, although details were still being negotiated in secret amid public denials of a deal to prevent it from collapsing.

Palestinian medical officials said that since fighting began on May 10, 223 people have been killed in aerial bombardments which have destroyed roads, buildings and other infrastructure, and worsened the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Israeli authorities put the death toll at 12 in Israel, where repeated rocket attacks have caused panic and sent people rushing into shelters. Regional and US-led diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire have intensified but so far failed.

Netanyahu has hailed what he has described as support from the United States, Israel’s main ally, for a right to self-defence in battling back against rocket strikes from Gaza.

But in a telephone call to Netanyahu, Biden put the Israeli leader on notice that it was time to lower the intensity of the conflict, in which civilians on both sides have been killed.

“The two leaders had a detailed discussion on the state of events in Gaza, Israel’s progress in degrading the capabilities of Hamas and other terrorist elements, and ongoing diplomatic efforts by regional governments and the United States,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.

“The president conveyed to the prime minister that he expected a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire.”

There was no immediate Israeli comment.