What Happened: The US has urged finalizing a deal between Israel and Hamas to end the Gaza war, despite Netanyahu’s resistance and ongoing tensions over military and diplomatic issues.
What you need to know: The United States has called for finalizing a deal between Israel and Hamas to end the Gaza war, despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to make concessions. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller announced that the US, along with Egypt and Qatar, will work to push for a final agreement in the coming days.
What more: This follows Netanyahu’s rejection of compromises in indirect negotiations, amid domestic and international pressure after Israel recovered the bodies of six killed prisoners from Gaza. The US has also charged six Hamas leaders with terrorism related to the October 7 attack on Israel. Meanwhile, Netanyahu insists on controlling the Philadelphi Corridor to prevent Hamas rearmament, and Egypt has denied accusations of its border being used to arm Hamas.
Also: Saudi Arabia and Egypt have condemned Netanyahu’s statements. Activist Greta Thunberg was briefly detained at a Copenhagen protest against the Gaza war but was later released.