Israel-Hamas war: President Biden reacts to extension of humanitarian pause in Gaza

US President Joe Biden delivers remarks on new actions to strengthen supply chains, in the Indian Treaty Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on November 27, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

President Biden thanked Middle Eastern leaders for facilitating the two day-extension of the humanitarian pause in Gaza, as the Israel-Hamas war inches closer to finishing its second month.

"I have remained deeply engaged over the last few days to ensure that this deal—brokered and sustained through extensive U.S. mediation and diplomacy—can continue to deliver results," Biden said in a statement.

The president also noted that the pause enabled "a significant surge in additional humanitarian assistance to the innocent civilians who are suffering across the Gaza strip," and that the U.S. has worked for years to be the "largest funder of humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people."

"We are taking full advantage of the pause in fighting to increase the amount of humanitarian aid moving into Gaza, and we will continue our efforts to build a future of peace and dignity for the Palestinian people," Biden's press release continued.

"Today, I want to again thank Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, and President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt for their commitment to this process and in reaching the agreement for an extension over the next 48 hours," the statement added. "We will not stop until all of the hostages held by Hamas terrorists are released."