By Humeyra Pamuk and Simon Lewis
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is still working with mediators Egypt and Qatar to present a revised proposal for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Monday.
Officials have for weeks said a new proposal would be presented soon for a deal that would include the release of hostages taken from Israel by Palestinian militants Hamas when the war began on Oct. 7.
Miller told reporters Washington was working with the mediators on what the proposal will contain and ensuring that “it’s a proposal that can get the parties to an ultimate agreement.”
“I don’t have a timetable for you other than to say that we are working expeditiously to try to develop that proposal,” Miller added.
Talks over months have so far failed to reach a deal to end war, now in its twelfth month, even after U.S. President Joe Biden in June publicly laid out a proposal that Israel had agreed to.
Hamas said last week it is ready to implement a ceasefire based on the previous proposal without any new conditions from any party.
U.S. officials say much of the deal has been agreed upon, but negotiations have been ongoing to clear two main obstacles: Israel’s demand to keep its forces in the Philadelphi corridor to maintain a buffer between Gaza and Egypt, and the specifics of an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Miller confirmed those remained the main sticking points.
(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Costas Pitas and Simon Lewis, editing by Deepa Babington)
