(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration said Israel and Hamas should be able to resolve their differences over a proposed cease-fire, contradicting top Israeli officials who said the two remain far apart.
“A close assessment of the two sides' positions suggests they should be able to close the remaining gaps,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Tuesday. “Hamas responded yesterday. There were amendments offered. And that's the task of negotiating. That's what negotiations are all about.”
International negotiators, including from the US, are seeking to pause or end the seven-month war through a deal that would include the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners and an increase of humanitarian aid. On Monday, Hamas said it had accepted a cease-fire proposal from Qatar and Egypt but Israel swiftly rejected that offer.
Read More: Israel Edges Into Rafah With Tension High Over Stalled Talks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Hamas's offer was meant to prevent Israeli forces from entering the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where Hamas retains control.
He said the latest Hamas offer is “very far from Israel's essential demands.”
Israel took control of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt Tuesday morning, its first push into that part of territory, conducted air strikes and warned Palestinians in the eastern part of the city to leave. Kirby said Israel told the US the operation was “limited” and aimed at cutting off Hamas's ability to smuggle weapons or money into Gaza.
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