The recent discovery of the bodies of six hostages has reportedly “increased the sense of urgency” among the US President’s top aides.
US President Joe Biden is considering presenting Israel and Hamas with a final proposal for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza later this week, according to a report from Axios. On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces discovered the bodies of six people who were captured by the Palestinian militant movement.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told families of American prisoners still held in Gaza that Biden will meet with his national security team on Monday to determine strategy for the final deal, Axios wrote, citing its sources.
One of the bodies discovered in Gaza was that of a US citizen, and the discovery “a sense of urgency has grown among Biden’s top aides to push for a deal as quickly as possible,” wrote the vehicle on Monday.
Israel and Hamas will have a week to respond to the US offer. The deal is expected to include a proposal for the Philadelphia Corridor, a narrow strip of land separating Gaza from Egypt. According to Axios, officials in Washington are hopeful that Hamas and Egypt will accept the proposal. No other details were provided.
The corridor has become a major sticking point in the negotiations, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisting that Israeli forces remain there during the ceasefire. Hamas and Egypt have rejected the idea.
Hostilities between Israel and Hamas flared when the Palestinian militant group attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,100 people and taking more than 200 hostages. Some were later released through prisoner swaps or rescued by the Israeli military. According to Israel, Hamas still holds 103 people captive in Gaza.
Israel’s massive military retaliation has claimed an estimated 40,700 lives in the enclave, according to Palestinian health officials.
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