Tentative ceasefire in Gaza “near”? Biden names possible timing. Officials believe there are now about 130 Israeli hostages in Gaza.
About half a dozen of the remaining hostages have U.S. citizenship. About 30,000 Palestinians were killed during the nearly five-month Israeli military operation. If a ceasefire agreement is reached, Israel will continue fighting after it expires and will invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Biden's tight embrace of Israel, his refusal to call for a permanent ceasefire and his reluctance to attach conditions to military aid have hurt him politically.