Biden pledges to stop Gaza war escalating in region as he’s given state visit to France

President Joe Biden vowed on Saturday to push for a ceasefire stop the Israel-Hamas war from escalating into a regional crisis during a state visit to France.

«We won’t stop working until all the hostages come home and a ceasefire is reached,» Biden said at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris.

“We are redoubling efforts together to avoid a regional explosion, particularly in Lebanon,” French presiden Emmanual Macron added.

Since October, Israel and the Iran-backed militia movement Hezbollah in Lebanon have been trading cross-border strikes.

The comments came as Israel announced it freed four hostages taken by Hamas at a music festival during the militant group’s suprise attack on October 7 that ignited Israel-Gaza war. More than 210 Palestinians were reported killed in fighting around Nuseirat, where the rescue occured.

The White House has continued to push for a ceasefire in the conflict in Gaza.

In late May, President Biden unilaterally revealed what he said was an Israel-backed proposal to stop the conflict, seen by observers as an attempt to ratchet up pressure on Israel and Hamas to make a deal.

The proposal called for a six week temporary ceasefire, the release of some hostages, and the withdrawal of the Israeli military from populated areas of Gaza, with mediators to seek an eventual “permanent end to hostilities.”

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in response to the proposal, said he wouldn’t agree to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza unless Hamas is no longer in military or government power, a position the group considers a non-starter.

The US has consistently voiced its concern over the war effort and the staggering civilian death toll of Israel’s operations in Gaza, but has continued to arm the US