Biden says Gaza ceasefire possible as soon as 'tomorrow' if Hamas releases hostages

United States President Joe Biden on Saturday (May 11) said that a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas would happen as soon as "tomorrow" if the Palestinian militant group released the hostages it held captive following its Oct 7 assault.

"There would be a ceasefire tomorrow if Hamas would release the hostages," Biden said at a fundraiser outside Seattle, at the home of a former Microsoft executive, after avoiding the topic at three similar events on Friday.

"Israel said it's up to Hamas, if they wanted to do it, we could end it tomorrow. And the ceasefire would begin tomorrow," Biden said while addressing the crowd of about 100 people.

The US president's remarks came after he issued a warning to Israel stating that he would not supply weapons, including artillery shells if its forces attack the city of Rafah.

"If they go into Rafah, I'm not supplying the weapons that have been used... to deal with the cities," Biden said in a televised interview with CNN.

"We're not gonna supply the weapons and the artillery shells that have been used."

Israel hits parts of Gaza as more evacuations ordered in Rafah

This also comes as Israel on Saturday hit several parts of Gaza including Rafah where it had ordered more evacuations earlier in the day.

As per news agency AFP, at least 21 people were killed during strikes in central Gaza and taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah. While, in Rafah, there were intense air strikes near the crossing with Egypt.

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The strikes came after the Israeli military on Tuesday (May 7) seized and closed the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing -- through which all fuel passes into Gaza -- after ordering residents of eastern Rafah to evacuate.

On Saturday, the military said that troops were fighting "armed terrorists" at the crossing and had found "numerous underground tunnel shafts."

Hamas releases video showing hostage

Meanwhile, Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, on Saturday (May 11) released a video showing a man held hostage in Gaza. The man can be seen alive in the 11-second footage. The video is superimposed with text in Arabic and Hebrew that reads: "Time is running out. Your government is lying."

The man in the video is believed to be Nadav Poplewell, a UK national, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nirim. Hamas said, "he died of wounds that he sustained in an Israeli air strike more than a month ago."

The 51-year-old hostage was kidnapped along with his mother Channa Peri, who was released in a hostage-sharing agreement in November last year.

(With inputs from agencies)