US Tells UN Security Council Gaza Ceasefire ‘In Sight’ Ahead of Cairo Talks

The US has informed the UN Security Council that a Gaza ceasefire appears imminent as diplomatic efforts ramp up, with crucial talks scheduled in Cairo to address the ongoing conflict.

The US envoy to the UN Security Council has informed that a potential agreement on Gaza ceasefire and hostage release seems imminent as talks commence in Cairo.

On Thursday, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield addressed the council and urged Hamas to approve a “bridging proposal” presented by the US. This proposition seems distinct from an earlier one sanctioned by UNSC and accepted by the Palestinian group.

The proposal allegedly seeks to resolve the ongoing conflicts between Israel and Hamas in order to put an end to violence in Gaza. Since launching their offensive in October, Israeli forces have caused a humanitarian crisis by killing over 40,265 Palestinians and injuring more than 93,000 others.

She stated that Israel has agreed to the bridging proposal and now it is necessary for Hamas to follow suit. She emphasized the importance of unity among council members and urged them to utilize their influence in persuading Hamas to accept the same proposal.

Thomas-Greenfield’s statements add to the pattern of US officials asserting that Israel has agreed to terms which Hamas is yet to agree upon. However, there are indications suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence on retaining certain territories in Gaza remains as a major impediment towards reaching an agreement.

Netanyahu has been accused of taking stances aimed at obstructing the advancement towards a resolution to terminate Israel’s almost year-long conflict in Gaza.

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The US and Egypt are currently mediating a fresh set of discussions between Israel and Hamas in Cairo with the participation of Qatari representatives, scheduled for Friday according to Reuters.

Omer Dostri, the spokesperson for Netanyahu, confirmed that an Israeli delegation consisting of Mossad and Shin Bet leaders is present in Cairo. Their objective is to negotiate a deal that would lead to the release of hostages.

Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 and took over 200 people as hostages.

The ceasefire plan adopted by the UN Security Council in June mandated that Israeli forces relinquish their control over territory inside Gaza. Specifically, area such as the Philadelphi Corridor along Egypt’s border and the Netzarim Corridor within Gaza were not to be retained by Israeli military presence.

Even though US President Joe Biden’s team has asserted that the “bridging proposal” aligns with the UN-supported agreement, Hamas alleges that America altered elements of the former deal following Netanyahu’s refusal to compromise on several matters.

This week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that Netanyahu had accepted the proposal endorsed by the United States, which provides a “clear” definition regarding Israeli force withdrawals. Nonetheless, Netanyahu declared this week that two corridors will continue to be under Israeli authority.

According to a report released by Yedioth Ahronoth, Israeli officials who wished to remain anonymous referred to the US accusations that Hamas is responsible for blocking an agreement as both beneficial for Netanyahu and potentially catastrophic for negotiations.

Despite ongoing disagreements between Hamas and the Netanyahu government, which has vowed to persist with military operations until Hamas is obliterated, the Biden administration has maintained that a ceasefire agreement is imminent for several months now.

Up to this point, the US has declined to contemplate using measures like halting arms sales as leverage to exert pressure on Israel towards more flexibility.