The United States has proposed new language for parts of the proposed hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in an effort to reach a deal, three sources with direct knowledge told Axios on Friday.
This “new language” the report states is based on a speech presented by US President Joe Biden as well as an Israeli proposal that was approved by country’s war cabinet.
Biden’s administration has been pushing its three-phase deal that would see the release of the remaining 120 hostages as well as a ceasefire in Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry states that nearly 38 thousand people have been killed since October 7.
Citing the three sources, the report said that the US is collaborating with mediators from Qatar and Egypt, and that they are focused on Article 8 in the proposal, to which the sources said that new language was drafted in that section specifically to “bridge the gap between Israel and Hamas.”
The US is also pushing Qatar and Egypt to pressure Hamas to accept the new proposal.
“Finding a formula”
“The US is working very hard to find a formula that will allow reaching a deal,” one source told Axios.
The development comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Hamas wanted to make “numerous changes” to their response to what the report described as going “beyond its previous positions.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
Read More: US proposes new language for Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal – report
