US says ‘time to finalise’ Gaza deal after Israeli hostage deaths
Washington is working with mediators to ‘push for a final agreement’ between Israel and Hamas, after the bodies of six captives were found
The United States on Tuesday called for urgency and flexibility to finalise an agreement between Israel and Hamas for a truce in Gaza, after the recent deaths of six hostages.
“There are dozens of hostages still remaining in Gaza, still waiting for a deal that will bring them home. It is time to finalise that deal,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
“The people of Israel cannot afford to wait any longer. The Palestinian people, who are also suffering the terrible effects of this war, cannot afford to wait any longer. The world cannot afford to wait any longer,” Miller said.
Miller said that the United States will work “over the coming days” with mediators Egypt and Qatar “to push for a final agreement”.
“Clearly what happened over the weekend underscores how important it is to get this done as quickly as possible,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters in a briefing, adding that Hamas was responsible for their deaths of the captives, whose bodies were recently recovered.
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Israel mourns hostages killed in Gaza as ceasefire deal remains out of reach
The United States and its allies have been pushing hard to negotiate a ceasefire-for-hostages deal to bring at least a temporary stop to the Gaza conflict in exchange for the release of sick, elderly and wounded hostages.
