Israel has approved a cease-fire deal that comes from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, but some in Israel are skeptical about the proposal, according to officials.
While speaking on the “Today” show on Wednesday, national security adviser Jake Sullivan shared that not everyone is on board with the proposed deal in Israel, even though it came from Netanyahu’s government.
“Israel’s a raucous democracy, so there’s a lot of talk and a lot of chatter, but the Israeli government has reconfirmed repeatedly, as recently as today, that the proposal is still on the table,” Sullivan said. “Now it’s up to Hamas to accept it. The whole world should call on Hamas to accept it.”
The statement from Sullivan makes it increasingly harder for Netanyahu to back out of the agreement. Reuters reported that Biden did not consult him before announcing the deal.
Three sources familiar with the matter told the outlet that the decision was deliberate so that Israel would be more likely to complete talks.
The result of the pending cease-fire deal has left a bad taste in several leaders of multiple Israeli political parties, with some going as far as threatening to drop out if a deal is struck before Hamas is defeated.
Still, the Israeli Prime Minister has pledged to destroy Hamas, even though it was not discussed in the proposal.
Now the ball appears to be in Hamas’s court, and based on comments from the group’s leaders, a deal could be sooner than expected.
Hamas political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh recently said that the terrorist group would deal “seriously and positively with any agreement” as long as it included two stipulations: a pause in the conflict and a total Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Wednesday that the two sides talking about a deal once again would not mean that the war in Gaza is suspended.
“We are in a process where we will continue and wear down the enemy,” Gallant said. “Any negotiations with the Hamas terror organization will only be conducted under fire.”