“Significant progress” made in Doha towards Gaza ceasefire deal — Biden

WASHINGTON, , US President Joe Biden said he received an update earlier Friday from his negotiating team on the ground in Doha and directed them to put forward the comprehensive bridging proposal. The proposal, presented today, "offers the basis for coming to a final agreement on a ceasefire and hostage release deal," he said in a press release from the White House. "I spoke separately with (Qatari) Amir Sheikh Tamim and (Egyptian) President Sisi to review the significant progress made in Doha over the past two days of talks, and they expressed the strong support of Qatar and Egypt for the US proposal as co-mediators in this process. "Our teams will remain on the ground to continue technical work over the coming days, and senior officials will convene again in Cairo before the end of the week. "They will report to me regularly," President Biden noted. "I am sending Secretary (of State Antony J.) Blinken to Israel to reaffirm my iron-clad support for Israel's security, continue our intensive efforts to conclu de this agreement and to underscore that with the comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal now in sight, no one in the region should take actions to undermine this process," he added. Source: Kuwait News Agency