Biden says cease-fire deal is just around the corner

As the war in Gaza nears its 5-month mark, US President Joe Biden says he hopes to have a temporary cease-fire in Gaza within the week. The proposed deal would involve aid deliveries to Gaza in exchange for the release of roughly 40 Oct. 7 hostages.

Israel has also signaled it could release a group of high-profile Palestinian prisoners as a part of the deal. Israel has resisted such a concession in the past because releasing Palestinians convicted of terrorism could attract significant domestic criticism. But it could go a long way toward temporarily pausing the fighting.

However, the most important parts of the deal for Hamas – including the length of a cease-fire and Hamas’s demand for a complete withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza — are still under discussion. Hamas officials have indicated the two sides are not as close to a deal as Biden suggests.