Biden sending Blinken to Israel, says he is ‘hopeful’ for Gaza cease-fire

WASHINGTON (AA) – President Joe Biden said Thursday he is more “hopeful” about a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

He also said he is sending Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel in the next five days.

His remarks came after he arrived in Berlin, following Israeli army spokesperson Avichae Adree’s claim that Sinwar had been killed in Gaza.

Biden said Sinwar “had a lot of blood in his hands, American blood, Israeli blood and others . . . now is the time to move on. Move toward a cease-fire in Gaza, make sure that we move in a direction that we’re going to be in a position to make things better for the whole world. It’s time for this war to end and bring these hostages home. So that’s what we’re ready to do.”

He said he talked to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the two leaders “are going to work out what is the day after now. How do we secure Gaza and move on?”

The White House said Biden spoke with Netanyahu to congratulate him on the mission in Gaza that killed Sinwar.

“President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu also discussed how to use this moment to bring the hostages home and to bring the war to a close with Israel’s security assured and Hamas never again able to control Gaza,” the White House said in a statement.

Sinwar became Hamas’ political chief in August, succeeding Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in the Iranian capital of Tehran after he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new president on July 31.

Sinwar was earlier chief of Hamas in Gaza for two consecutive terms. There were multiple attempts on his life before.