As the US administration continues to push for an agreement between Hamas and Israeli forces, the White House announced on Saturday that it is still awaiting an official response from Hamas regarding the latest ceasefire proposals for the Gaza Strip.
White House spokesperson John Kirby informed reporters about President Joe Biden’s visit to France, noting that Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron will discuss the issue during their meeting on Saturday.
On Friday, informed US officials revealed that Washington has asked some of its regional allies to pressure Hamas into accepting the proposal unveiled by President Biden last Friday, according to CNN reports on Friday.
They explained that the Biden administration urged Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey to increase pressure on Hamas in various ways, from restricting the movements of its officials to threatening their expulsion.
Additionally, the officials disclosed that the US has asked these countries to threaten freezing the bank accounts of Hamas members and tightening restrictions on their ability to travel freely in the region.