The United States, along with 16 other nations, has urged Israel and Hamas to make critical compromises to finalize a new Gaza truce deal proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden. In a joint statement, the countries expressed strong support for the ceasefire and hostage release agreement announced by Biden on May 31, 2024.
“We fully support the movement towards a ceasefire and hostage release deal now on the table and as outlined by U.S. President Biden,” the leaders declared. The statement emphasized the importance of an immediate ceasefire, the rehabilitation of Gaza, and security assurances for both Israelis and Palestinians. The leaders called for final compromises to bring relief to hostages’ families and civilians affected by the conflict.
Signatories of the statement included leaders from Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.
The U.S. has also called on the UN Security Council to back a three-phase plan aimed at ending the Gaza conflict. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield urged the Security Council to endorse the draft resolution supporting Biden’s proposal.
The draft resolution, obtained by The Associated Press, calls on Hamas to accept and implement the deal unconditionally and immediately. However, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri noted that while the group welcomed Biden’s ideas, they had rejected an Israeli ceasefire proposal due to the lack of a definitive end to aggression and occupation.
