A senior White House official has pointed to both Israel and Hamas for not committing to a Gaza cease-fire deal, which President Joe Biden's administration has repeatedly suggested is near completion, Newsweek reported.
National national security spokesman John Kirby, during a press gaggle Wednesday, acknowledged that both parties are at fault for the ongoing impasse. This stance marks a change from previous statements by Biden and other top U.S. officials, which solely blamed Hamas for the deadlock.
"The deal hasn't been accepted because neither side has signed up to it," Kirby said. "We believe that both sides need to do the final bit of work here to come to a conclusion on this thing."
When asked if the Biden administration now sees Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as contributing to the stalemate, Kirby reiterated the call for both parties to finalize the agreement, describing it as a "good proposal."
"We believe the gaps are narrow enough that they can be closed," Kirby said.
Earlier, during a June call with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, a mediator in Israel-Hamas negotiations, Biden said Hamas was the only obstacle to a cease-fire and that Israel was ready to proceed with the U.S.-proposed three-phase road map.
Initially, Hamas reacted positively to Biden's explanation of the deal in May but later claimed that the terms presented at the negotiating table were significantly different from Biden's initial description.
The proposed deal, as outlined by Biden and endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution, includes a temporary cease-fire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated areas of the Gaza Strip, and a limited prisoner swap in the first phase.
This would be followed by negotiations for a permanent end to hostilities, the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas, and the complete withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from Gaza. Finally, the plan calls for Gaza's reconstruction and the return of the bodies of hostages killed in captivity.
Despite the cease-fire component, Israeli officials maintained that the agreement would allow them to continue their objective of defeating Hamas.
New complications have arisen in the talks following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh last week in Tehran. The IDF has not said whether it was involved in the assassination, after which Hamas named Yahya Sinwar, the Gaza chief, as the group's new leader.
Iran has vowed to avenge Haniyeh's killing.
Meanwhile, its ally Hezbollah has promised retaliation following the death of its top military official in an Israeli strike in Beirut, amid escalating clashes along the Israel-Lebanon border.
"Only increasing the military pressure on Hamas will lead to achieving all of the objectives of the war, including the return home of all of our hostages, the living and the deceased," Netanyahu said during a Sunday ceremony.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.