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US President Joe Biden: “We are working hard on it”

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Andrew Harnik / AP

US President Joe Biden is hoping for a new ceasefire in the Gaza Strip before the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

"I hope so, we're still working very hard on it," Biden said on Friday as he left the White House in response to a journalist's question.

"We're not there yet." Ramadan is expected to begin on the evening of March 10th.

Biden said at the beginning of the week that he hoped for a ceasefire between the Israeli army and the terrorist organization Hamas by next Monday.

The president later admitted that this was not likely.

The government of the Gulf emirate of Qatar has stated that the aim is for the ceasefire to come into force before the start of Ramadan.

Along with the USA and Egypt, Qatar is one of the mediators in the difficult ceasefire negotiations.

Meanwhile, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby gave details of the US airlift to Gaza, which Biden had previously announced: According to this, the US government is planning a large-scale operation that is expected to last weeks.

Dropping relief supplies over such a densely populated area is "extremely difficult." The Defense Ministry is facing a "difficult military operation" that must be carefully planned to ensure the safety of the US soldiers involved as well as that of Palestinian civilians.

Biden had previously announced the drop of aid supplies.

"We must do more, and the United States will do more," he said on Friday at a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House.

In the coming days, the US wanted to join other countries such as Jordan in airdropping food and other aid.

United States wants to examine shipping corridor

The US also wanted to examine the possibility of a shipping corridor to bring large amounts of aid to the Gaza Strip, Biden said.

He will also “insist” to the Israeli government that more aid convoys be allowed into the Palestinian territory.

The aid that has been delivered to the Gaza Strip so far is “far from enough,” emphasized the US President.

“Innocent lives are at stake, children’s lives are at stake.”

sol/AFP