A senior US administration official has rebuffed recent statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of making “maximalist statements” that are hindering efforts to finalize a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
The comments come as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken engages in intense regional diplomacy aimed at advancing a ceasefire and securing the release of hostages. On Monday, Blinken held a three-hour meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem, during which the Israeli leader reportedly agreed to a US “bridging proposal” intended to resolve key issues and move closer to a ceasefire agreement.
However, Netanyahu later reportedly told hostage families that he had convinced Blinken of the necessity for Israeli troops to remain in certain strategic areas of Gaza, including the southern border with Egypt. These remarks have sparked frustration within the US administration.
“We saw the prime minister’s comments, specifically on some of these items,” said a senior US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “We’re not going to negotiate in public, but the only thing Secretary Blinken and the United States are convinced of is the need to get a ceasefire proposal finalized.”
The official emphasized that such “maximalist statements” are counterproductive and risk derailing the technical discussions necessary to implement the ceasefire once agreed upon.
The senior official’s remarks followed Blinken’s meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in El-Alamein. Egypt has strongly opposed the idea of Israeli troops remaining along Gaza’s border with Egypt. After his stop in Egypt, Blinken continued to Qatar for further talks in Doha, the final leg of his Middle East tour.
In an interview during his travels, Blinken disclosed for the first time that the US bridging proposal includes a “detailed plan” for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, with clear timelines and locations. When asked about Netanyahu’s claim that he had convinced Blinken to keep troops in Gaza, Blinken did not confirm the statement, instead reiterating Israel’s endorsement of the US plan.
Hamas, meanwhile, has rejected the latest ceasefire proposals, calling them a “coup” against previous agreements and insisting that any ceasefire plan should be based on the progress made in earlier negotiations, rather than on new terms.
