The United States is waiting for Israel to announce the completion of its military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah before proceeding with hostage deal-ceasefire negotiations, the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese news outlet Al-Ahkbar reported on Saturday morning.
"The Americans are waiting for Israel to announce the end of its military operation in Rafah to resume the currently halted communications regarding the negotiations," the Al-Ahkbar cited Egyptian and Qatari sources as saying.
Talks had hit a snag after Hamas proposed alterations to the Biden administration's multi-phased plan to bring about an end to the war.
According to President Joe Biden, Hamas was the party preventing a deal from coming to fruition.
“The biggest hang-up so far is Hamas refusing to sign on even though they have submitted something similar,” the president remarked.
Not workable but bridgeable?
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced a position in line with the president's stance on Wednesday, referring to the differences between the proposed plan and Hamas's desired changes as "bridgeable." At the same time, Blinken also referred to some of the proposed changes as "not workable."
Additionally, in the wake of Hamas's demanded changes to the deal's outline, a senior Israeli official had stated that the Americans, Egyptians, and Qataris had agreed that the current goal is to return Hamas to the original framework.
According to the Al-Ahkbar report, Hamas and the mediators see Israel's primary objection to the terror organization's proposed changes to be the military's withdrawal from the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors.
On Friday, Israeli state broadcaster Kan reported that, according to Israeli estimates, the IDF would complete its activities in Rafa in two weeks.
Tovah Lazaroff, Hannah Sarisohn, Amir Bohbot, and Reuters contributed to this report.
