Washington is "working very hard" to reach a deal, says U.S. official
The Biden administration is suggesting new language for its Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal after the terror group rejected the framework presented by President Joe Biden on May 31, Axios reported on Saturday.
Citing three U.S. officials familiar with the negotiations, Axios reported that the Biden administration is proposing a change to Article 8, which deals with talks regarding a “sustainable calm” in Gaza, set to commence after the implementation of the first stage of the three-stage deal.
Jerusalem wants to retain the right to raise the demilitarization of Gaza and “other issues” during this stage, according to the report. Hamas, however, is demanding that these talks focus solely on the number and identity of Palestinian terrorists to be released from Israeli jails in return for every living Israeli soldier or male hostage held in Gaza.