Washington, 16 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) - US President Joe Biden has expressed optimism regarding the conclusion of an agreement in the negotiations over a ceasefire in the Gaza war.

"We are closer than we've ever been," Biden told journalists on the sidelines of an event at the White House on Friday. "I don't want to jinx anything ... We may have something, but we're not there yet."

"It's much, much closer than it was three days ago," Biden said.

Earlier Friday, the negotiations had been postponed until next week.

The mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the United States, along with Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, did not achieve a breakthrough, according to a joint statement, but they said the two-day talks in the Qatari capital Doha were constructive.

Another high-level meeting is to be held in Cairo before the end of next week.

According to the three mediators, there is a proposal aimed at narrowing "the remaining gaps." This aligns with the principles of the peace plan that Biden presented at the end of May.

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