US President Joe Biden has welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. Biden praised the decision in a brief statement at the White House on Thursday local time, after the announcement of the ceasefire agreement at a meeting of Israel's security cabinet committee. Reuters reports.
The Israeli cabinet statement said it had agreed to a ceasefire in accordance with the Egyptian compromise proposal, but that the ceasefire would be "bilateral and unconditional."
US President Biden said Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system would help rebuild.
Hamas considers Israel's ceasefire announcement a victory for the Palestinians. A Hamas spokesman told Qatar-based media outlet Al Jazeera, "This decision by Israel is a victory for the Palestinians." Meanwhile, a statement issued by Hamas said that they would implement the ceasefire from 2am local time on Friday. However, Netanyahu's office said that the two sides were in talks about when the ceasefire would take effect.
According to a report by the international news agency AFP, Biden commented that the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is a good opportunity to improve relations between the two sides.
"I believe we have a good opportunity to move forward. I am committed to working on it," Biden said in a speech at the White House, praising Egypt's mediation efforts to persuade Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire.
