U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Monday that the United States is working with Egypt and Qatar to propose a new ceasefire in Gaza. The goal is to stop the fighting and secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Miller noted that Washington is coordinating with mediators to ensure the proposal leads to a final agreement. He added, “We are moving quickly to advance the proposal but don’t have a specific timeline.”
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that U.S. officials told American hostage families that the current plan, introduced in June, is no longer effective. The U.S. and its partners are now considering new strategies to convince Israel and Hamas to agree.
The revised proposal will likely be shorter than the original, which involved three phases over six weeks.
Speaking at the Haaretz Security Conference, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew admitted the U.S. is unsure what Hamas will accept. He said Israel, the U.S., and mediators are working together to pressure Hamas into an agreement.
An Israeli official told The Times of Israel that the U.S. is carefully avoiding any proposal that might be rejected.
