Hamas officials are still considering the framework for a proposal to halt fighting in the Gaza Strip and free Israeli hostages who have been held captive for nearly four months, a broadcaster affiliated with the group said on Sunday, a week after negotiators will have formulated the proposal.
The station, Al-Aqsareported that Hamas was still holding consultations on the proposal.
The groups’ leaders had previously noted that substantial differences remained between the two sides, even when representatives of United States, Egypt and QatarWe were looking for common ground.
Jake SullivanPresident Joe Biden’s national security adviser told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that “the ball is in Hamas’ court.”
An agreement that frees the hostages, ends the fighting and allows humanitarian aid to reach Gaza is important.”primordial“He added.
An image taken from southern Israel, bordering the Gaza Strip, on December 27, 2023, shows destroyed buildings in northern Gaza following Israeli shelling amid ongoing fighting between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP)“We will push tirelessly for this, as the president has done, including recently in meetings with leaders Egypt and Qatar, the two countries that are our primary intermediaries in this effort,” Sullivan said.
Various fronts
The attacks of October 7, led by Hamas, in which, according to the Israeli authorities, some 1,200 people and more than 200 were taken hostage, prompting a harsh military response from Israel and triggering a broader crisis in the Middle East.
Israel has exchanged fire with Hezbollah members in Lebanon, and the Houthi militia that controls part of Yemen has fired on ships traveling to and from the Suez Canal.
Other Iranian-backed militants have launched attacks on U.S. bases in the region, including a recent one that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan.
The United States has responded to the Houthi attacks with repeated attacks, including Sunday’s attack and the attack on Jordan with another series of military strikes this weekend against Iranian forces and the militias they support in seven locations in Syria and Iraq.
Senior U.S. national security officials said Sunday that the plans were still underway. more retaliation against Iranian-backed militias.
But Sullivan said he believed these efforts were a separate question of talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement that eluded both sides after a week-long pause in November.
“We believe that the steps we took on Friday and the steps we took against the Houthis last night are not related to the hostage negotiations,” he told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“And we believe that now, at this moment, it is up to Hamas to step forward and respond to what is a serious proposal.”
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Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.