Plans for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war are moving forward, but Israeli officials are now claiming that the U.S. did not brief them on the latest development, per a report in Axios.
A senior U.S. official quoted by the outlet refuted the claims. They said that American diplomats have been in communication with Israeli counterparts and that there have been “no surprises.”
Hamas announced Monday that it had accepted the deal terms. Al Jazeera obtained a copy of the agreement and said it would include a ceasefire in three stages, including an “initial halt in the fighting leading to lasting calm and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Palestinian territory.”
Hamas would be required to release Israeli captives in Gaza. An Oct. 7 terrorist attack by the Palestinian militant organization that killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel kicked off the ongoing war. More than 34,700 Palestinians have been killed in it thus far, according to local health officials.
An unspecified number of Palestinians held in Israeli jails would also be released as part of the ceasefire deal, Al Jazeera said. It added that “Israel has said that it does not agree to the proposal but that it will engage in further talks to secure an agreement.”
“When the Israelis read Hamas’ response, they were surprised to see it contained ‘many new elements’ that were not part of the previous proposal that Israel agreed on and that was presented to Hamas by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar ten days ago, the officials said,” per the Axios report. A source cited by the outlet said the U.S. invited the Israelis to negotiation meetings in Cairo over the weekend but that they chose not to send a team. Per the report, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns was reportedly at the meeting, but the CIA has not confirmed.
Per two Israeli officials cited by Axios, Israelis felt that they “got played” by the U.S. Israel has also said it will not commit to ending the war as part of a hostage deal. Once any deal has been completed, Israel plans to continue the war until Hamas is defeated.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday that the State Department confirmed Hamas’ response to the ceasefire deal. National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said that U.S. officials were reviewing the response.
“I won’t be able to comment any further on this until we know where things stand,” he said during a press briefing. “I hope you can understand that. I know everybody is curious about what’s in this response, what the Israeli reaction to it is. I’m just not going to get ahead of the process.”
He also said: “We want to get these hostages out. We want to get a ceasefire in place for six weeks. We want to increase humanitarian assistance. And the last thing that I want to do is say anything at this podium that’s going to put that process at risk,” and that President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday morning.
According to Axios, the recent ceasefire negotiations have “created deep disappointment and suspicion among senior Israeli officials regarding the U.S. role in the hostage deal talks and could negatively influence the negotiations going forward.”
A U.S. official explained that the difficult negotiation process has been conducted through intermediaries in Doha, Qatar and Cairo, Egypt. That official also said that the road to a ceasefire is “all mapped out,” with Israel’s input.
However, challenges still lay ahead. Rueters reported Tuesday that Hamas official Osama Hamdan said during a press conference in Beirut, Lebanon, that the deal would be off if Israel continues aggression in Rafa on the Gaza strip. Haaretz also reported Tuesday that a Hamas delegation had arrived in Cairo for continuing ceasefire negotiations and Axios said the Israeli war cabinet plans to send a delegation.
In the U.S., Biden delivered comments for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Annual Days of Remembrance Ceremony Tuesday.
“This ancient hatred of Jews didn’t begin with the Holocaust; it didn’t end with the Holocaust, either, or after – or even after our victory in World War II,” he said. “This hatred continues to lie deep in the hearts of too many people in the world, and it requires our continued vigilance and outspokenness. That hatred was brought to life on October 7th in 2023. On a sacred Jewish holiday, the terrorist group Hamas unleashed the deadliest day of the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”
Biden also said that people are “already forgetting” the Holocaust and the Oct. 7 attack.
“They’re already forgetting that Hamas unleased this terror, that it was Hamas that brutalized Israelis, that it was Hamas who took and continues to hold hostages,” said the president. “I have not forgotten, nor have you, and we will not forget.”
Additionally, the Biden administration Tuesday announced action to counter antisemitism on college campuses and to protect Jewish communities.
In a Tuesday statement, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi. He said Blinken condemned recent attacks on convoys bringing humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.
“The Secretary and Foreign Minister discussed work to achieve an immediate ceasefire that secures the release of hostages as well as the ongoing efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading,” said the statement. “The Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ clear position on Rafah.”