Israel, Hamas have agreed to ceasefire 'framework', Biden says

President Joe Biden on Friday announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the basic outline of a ceasefire to end the conflict, which has persisted since the Oct. 7 Hamas raid.

"Six weeks ago I laid out a comprehensive framework for how to achieve a ceasefire and bring the hostages home," Biden announced on Friday. "There is still work to do and these are complex issues, but that framework is now agreed to by both Israel and Hamas. My team is making progress and I'm determined to get this done."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) invaded Gaza in response to the October raid and fighting has persisted for months, albeit with limited humanitarian pauses. The Biden administration has faced pushback from both sides of the political aisle over its handling of the matter.

The IDF's bombardment of the strip, moreover, has drawn international backlash over the reported civilian death toll. The United Nations Security Council in June passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in the conflict.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday evening, Biden indicated he sought a resolution to the conflict that would not result in a permanent Israeli presence in the strip.

"The question has been from the beginning, what's the day after in Gaza?" he said. "And the day after in Gaza has to be... no occupation by Israel on the Gaza Strip, as well as the ability for us to access, get in and out as rapidly as you can all that's needed there."