A potential ceasefire and agreement for the release of hostages in Gaza is “now within reach,” stated the U.S. envoy to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, during a meeting of the UN Security Council. This comes as new negotiations are underway in the Egyptian capital of Cairo.
Thomas-Greenfield urged Hamas to accept a “bridging offer” presented by the United States. This offer differs from an earlier proposal supported by the Security Council that had been accepted by the Palestinian group. According to Thomas-Greenfield, the proposal aims to resolve outstanding disputes between Israel and Hamas to end the violence in Gaza, which has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths since the Israeli offensive began in October.
“Israel has accepted the bridging offer. Now Hamas must do the same,” she stated. “As members of this council, we must speak with one voice and use our influence to pressure Hamas to accept the offer.” This remark from Thomas-Greenfield continues a trend where U.S. officials assert that Israel is ready for an agreement that Hamas has yet to accept.
Hamas has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of taking positions that aim to sabotage progress toward an agreement to end the war in Gaza, which has lasted nearly 11 months. In Cairo, there is currently a new round of negotiations between Israel and Hamas, with the U.S. and Egypt acting as mediators. A delegation from Qatar is expected to join the negotiations on Friday.
Netanyahu’s spokesperson, Omer Dostri, confirmed that an Israeli delegation, which includes leaders from Mossad and Shin Bet, is participating in the Cairo negotiations to advance an agreement for the release of hostages. More than 200 individuals were taken hostage by Hamas during the attack on October 7.
In June, a ceasefire plan was adopted by the UN Security Council, but it did not allow Israeli forces to maintain control over territories in Gaza, such as the Philadelphi corridor along the border with Egypt. However, the current U.S. administration claims that the new bridging offer aligns with the UN-supported agreement.
Hamas has criticized the U.S. for altering the content of the earlier agreement after Netanyahu refused to change his positions on a number of issues. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Netanyahu has accepted the U.S.-backed proposal, which reportedly clarifies the withdrawal of Israeli forces, but Netanyahu simultaneously confirmed that the two corridors would remain under Israeli control.
A report from the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth cited anonymous Israeli officials who described the U.S. claims that Hamas is the primary obstacle to an agreement as a “gift” to Netanyahu and a potential “death blow” for the negotiations. The U.S. administration has claimed for months that a ceasefire agreement is imminent, despite existing disagreements between Hamas and Netanyahu’s government, which has declared it will continue the war until Hamas is destroyed, even if a temporary ceasefire is reached.
So far, the U.S. has refused to consider pressuring Israel for greater flexibility through measures such as suspending arms sales.