jordan pulse -

U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Sunday evening that a ceasefire in Gaza remains possible, despite reports of stalled negotiations due to new conditions set by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Speaking to the press after spending the weekend at Camp David, Biden stated that talks are ongoing and "we will not give up," adding that reaching an agreement is "still possible."

Biden's remarks coincided with the arrival of Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Tel Aviv as part of Washington's intensive diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

This marks Blinken's ninth visit to the region since the Israeli assault on Gaza began in October of last year. His visit comes just days after the U.S. presented proposals aimed at bridging gaps between Hamas and Israel.

Netanyahu’s Demands

Earlier, Hamas stated that the American proposal it had accepted on July 2 was recently altered to include new conditions aligned with Netanyahu's desires.

In a statement, Hamas said, "After hearing from mediators about the progress of the talks, it has become clear to us that Netanyahu is still placing additional obstacles," holding him fully responsible for obstructing the mediators' efforts and delaying the achievement of an agreement.

Hamas explained that the new proposal accommodates Netanyahu's conditions, particularly his rejection of a permanent ceasefire, withdrawal from Gaza, and insistence on maintaining control over the Netzarim Junction, Rafah Crossing, and the Philadelphi Corridor.

The group also noted that the revised proposal introduces new conditions regarding the exchange of captives and prisoners, retracting previous terms, which hampers the completion of a prisoner swap deal.

(Reuters)