Biden hails cease-fire agreement between Israel, Hamas

President Biden on Thursday said that a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas would begin in under two hours, celebrating the development and pledging to continue U.S. diplomatic efforts.

Biden credited the “intense diplomatic engagement” of his team as well as the work of other parties in the region, including Egyptian officials, in bringing about the agreement for a cease-fire after fighting caused massive destruction and death in the region over the past week and a half. 

“We have held intensive high-level discussions hour by hour, literally … with an aim of avoiding the sort of prolonged conflict we have seen in previous years when hostilities have broken out,” Biden said in brief remarks from Cross Hall on Thursday evening that were hastily scheduled following news of a cease-fire agreement.

“I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live in safety and security and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy,” Biden said. “My administration will continue our quiet and relentless diplomacy toward that end. I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I am committed to working toward it.”

Biden said that he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who informed him Israel had agreed to a “mutual, unconditional cease-fire” to begin in less than two hours. Biden also said that the Egyptians gave the U.S. assurances that Hamas and other militant groups would abide by the cease-fire.

In the call with Netanyahu, Biden said that he reiterated U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself from attacks from Hamas and other terror groups and said the U.S. would help replenish Israel’s Iron Dome system.

Biden also committed to working with the United Nations to provide humanitarian assistance for the Gaza reconstruction efforts, which he said the U.S. would do in “full partnership with the Palestinian Authority — not Hamas, the Authority — in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal.”

Biden did not answer a shouted question about whether he believed the cease-fire would last.

Hours before Biden spoke from the White House, Israel’s Security Cabinet voted to approve a cease-fire after 11 days of violence between the Israeli military and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

A barrage of Hamas rockets fired at civilian targets in Israel have killed 12, while the death toll in Gaza from Israeli military airstrikes has exceeded 200.

“These hostilities have resulted in the tragic deaths of so many civilians including children and I send my sincere condolences to all the families – Israeli and Palestinian – who have lost loved ones and I hope for a full recovery for the wounded,” Biden said on Thursday.

Biden earlier this week backed a cease-fire and had increasingly put pressure on Israel, a U.S. ally, to take steps to end the conflict on Wednesday when he told Netanyahu in a phone call that he expected “significant de-escalation” that day.

Some progressives have accused Biden of being too supportive of Israel and called for him to do more to protect the rights of Palestinians and take a harder line on Israel over its actions.

Some Democratic lawmakers have sought to block a $735 million weapons sale to Israel that was noticed before the recent conflict intensified. Biden’s remarks about helping replenish Israel’s air defense system could further anger liberals who have been critical of the arms sale.

The White House has engaged in what officials have termed “quiet, intensive diplomacy” over the past 11 days in order to try to bring the temperature down, a tactic that Biden highlighted in his remarks on Thursday by noting the constant engagements between his administration and other regional partners. Biden noted that, as of Thursday, he had spoken to Netanyahu six times over the course of the conflict.