Washington DC – The United States said it was studying a Hamas response to a proposed ceasefire in Gaza, while refusing to provide details of the agreement or what exactly the Palestinian group agreed to.
White House and State Department officials remained tight-lipped on ceasefire negotiations Monday, but they reiterated that freeing Israeli captives in Gaza remains a top priority for the United States.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Washington would “withhold judgment” on Hamas’ response to the deal until it has time to fully review it.
“I can confirm that Hamas responded. We are currently reviewing this response and discussing it with our partners in the region,” he said.
Miller declined to say whether Hamas had accepted a U.S.-backed offer or a different version of the proposal.
US President Joe Biden’s administration has been pushing for a temporary ceasefire for months, arguing that such a deal would help get Israeli prisoners out of Gaza, allow more aid to enter the territory and offer a chance for a lasting solution to the war.
Hamas announced on Monday that it had informed the Egyptian and Qatari mediators of its agreement on an agreement proposed by the two countries.
Three phases
Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya later told Tel Aviv Tribune Arabic that the deal would include three phases, starting with a cessation of fighting that would allow Gaza residents to move freely within the territory.
This would end with the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, a permanent ceasefire and the reconstruction of the enclave.
The three interconnected stages, al-Hayya said, would all see exchanges of Israeli captives in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
He added that the ball is now in Israel’s court. “We put forward what we had. We presented our positive position and agreement on the proposal,” al-Hayya said.
CIA Director Bill Burns has been in the region since Friday to advance ceasefire negotiations, but it is unclear whether he approved the deal accepted by Hamas.
Israel’s war cabinet said it would enter further negotiations to discuss the proposal, but added that the country’s army would continue its operations in the southern Gaza town of Rafah despite growing international concern regarding the civilians sheltering there.
“The Israeli war cabinet unanimously decided that Israel would continue the operation in Rafah to exert military pressure on Hamas in order to advance the release of our hostages, destroy Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities and ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future. the future,” an Israeli government spokesperson said in a statement.
“In the meantime, even if Hamas’s proposal falls far short of meeting Israel’s demands, Israel will send a delegation to the mediators to exhaust possibilities of reaching an agreement on terms acceptable to Israel.”
Biden also had a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday and highlighted U.S. opposition to a ground offensive in Rafah.
“The President reiterated his clear position on Rafah,” the White House said in a statement.
More than 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering in Rafah, which also serves as the main gateway for humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
But the Israeli army intensified its bombardment on the city and ordered the evacuation of around 100,000 people in eastern Rafah.
On Monday, Miller said U.S. opposition to an attack on Rafah was distinct from pressure for a ceasefire.
“We cannot support an operation in Rafah as is currently being considered,” the State Department spokesperson said, adding that the United States has not seen a credible plan to protect trapped civilians. in the city.
“Even in the absence of this latest response (from Hamas), we have made clear that we do not support Israel launching a large-scale military operation in Rafah. »
“Unfailing” support for Israel
White House national security spokesman John Kirby also told reporters Monday that “nothing has changed” in the U.S. position in the face of an Israeli attack on Rafah.
“The president has been very direct – and consistent – this morning, saying that we do not want to see major ground operations in Rafah that put these people at risk,” Kirby said.
Kirby nevertheless stressed that US support for Israel’s security “remains ironclad.” Last month, Biden approved more than $14 billion in additional military aid to Israel.
Palestinian rights advocates argued that mere verbal criticism of Israeli policies were not enough, and they called on Biden to instead end military support for the U.S. ally.
“If a mass shooter walks into a school and you stand there and say, ‘Tell me when you need more guns and ammo,’ then you are guilty of that behavior,” said James Zogby, president of the Arab American Association. Institute think tank, told Tel Aviv Tribune.
Nancy Okail, president of the Center for International Policy, a U.S.-based think tank, also said Washington should use its influence to prevent an invasion of Rafah.
“This has been going on for more than six months, and we have never seen a serious response from Israel because there are no serious consequences from the United States,” Okail told Tel Aviv Tribune .