BIDEN SEES CEASEFIRE AS KEY TO PREVENTING IRAN'S RETALIATION AGAINST ISRAEL. (PHOTO).

 Biden Sees Ceasefire as Key to Preventing Iran’s Retaliation Against Israel

 U.S. President Joe Biden has expressed hope that a ceasefire in Gaza could prevent Iran from launching retaliatory airstrikes against Israel following the assassination of a senior Hamas official in Tehran in late July.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have announced they are on "maximum alert," with the country bracing for a potential attack at any moment.

 When asked whether he believed Iran would abandon its plans if a ceasefire and a hostage agreement were reached between Israel and Hamas, Biden responded, "That’s what I expect."

 Reuters earlier reported that three senior Iranian officials had indicated - a ceasefire was the only way to convince Iran to hold off on retaliating, highlighting the fragile state of the current situation in the Middle East, where fears are growing that failed negotiations could ignite a broader regional conflict.

The United States, Egypt, and Qatar are working to mediate a deal between Israel and Hamas to end the conflict in Gaza, with talks scheduled in the coming days.

 

Israel has equally committed in sending a delegation to the negotiations in either Doha or Cairo, but Hamas has suggested it might pull out of the meeting.

Hamas is pushing for Israel to agree to a proposal first introduced in early July, which called for a phased ceasefire, a hostage exchange, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously rejected these terms, stating that the destruction of Hamas was a necessary precursor to any lasting peace in Gaza.

 Hamas has said that further negotiations would only delay a ceasefire and allow Israel to continue its military operations in the war-torn Gaza Strip.