Biden speaks with leaders of Israel, Egypt, and Qatar following hostage deal

(Patria) - US President Joe Biden spoke with the leaders of Egypt, Israel, and Qatar on Wednesday, the White House announced, in his first public conversations with them since the announcement of a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, AFP reported.

Biden and his administration negotiated through Qatar and Egypt to broker the deal, in which Hamas will release at least 50 hostages, and Israel will release a multitude of Palestinian prisoners, while offering a four-day truce to war-torn Gaza.

Biden spoke in separate calls with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

All three conversations concerned "the deal to secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its brutal attack on Israel on October 7 and the latest developments in the region," the White House said.

The current conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted after Hamas fighters carried out the deadliest attack in Israel's history, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 240 hostages. Israel responded with bombing and a ground campaign, leaving much of Gaza in ruins and killing 14,100 people, including thousands of children.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed there will be no long-term ceasefire, saying his goal remains to destroy the militant group.