President Joe Biden's top national security aide has reached out to Hamas, urging the group to provide a swift response to a proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages. National Security adviser Jake Sullivan disclosed that he made this plea during a phone call with Qatar's prime minister, who is mediating negotiations for the hostages' release in exchange for a temporary halt in hostilities.
Sullivan highlighted that Hamas has yet to respond to his request and stressed the importance of receiving a timely answer. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not revealed his stance on a potential invasion of Rafah to the United States. Despite Netanyahu's announcement on setting a date for the operation, Sullivan clarified that the US has not been informed of any specific timeline.
Expressing apprehension about a potential large-scale ground invasion of the southern Gaza city, Sullivan emphasized the availability of alternative strategies to address the situation with Hamas. He mentioned that the White House had presented these alternative options to Israeli officials in the preceding week.
