In a significant development towards resolving the ongoing crisis in Gaza, the United States envoy to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced that a ceasefire and hostage release deal "now is in sight." Speaking before the UN Security Council, she urged Hamas, the Palestinian group controlling Gaza, to accept a revised "bridging proposal" presented by the US to bridge the remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas.

The proposed agreement aims to bring an end to the violence in Gaza, which has resulted in the loss of thousands of Palestinian lives and an escalating humanitarian crisis. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield emphasized the importance of a unified voice from the international community and urged the Security Council to use their influence to press Hamas into accepting the proposal. She noted that Israel had already agreed to the bridging proposal, but Hamas's acceptance was crucial to move forward.

However, while US officials continue to assert that Israel has agreed to a deal, Hamas has yet to accept it. The primary stumbling block appears to be Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence on Israel retaining control over certain areas within Gaza. Hamas has accused Netanyahu of purposely sabotaging progress towards a comprehensive agreement to end the nearly year-long conflict.

Meanwhile, negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the US and Egypt, are currently underway in Cairo. A Qatari delegation is also set to join the talks, further intensifying efforts to reach a resolution. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's spokesperson, Omer Dostri, confirmed that an Israeli delegation, including the heads of Israel's intelligence and security agencies, is participating in the discussions with the goal of advancing a hostage release agreement.

It should be noted that over 200 individuals were taken hostage by Hamas during an attack on Israel back in October. Previous ceasefire plans, such as the one adopted by the UN Security Council in June, did not allow Israeli forces to maintain control over territories within Gaza. This included areas like the Philadelphi Corridor along the border with Egypt and the Netzarim Corridor that cuts through Gaza.

The Biden administration has tried to present the revised "bridging proposal" as aligned with the previous UN-backed deal. However, Hamas has raised concerns about changes to the agreement after Prime Minister Netanyahu refused to compromise on several key issues. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently confirmed that Netanyahu had agreed to the updated proposal, emphasizing its clarity on the status of Israeli force withdrawals. Nevertheless, Netanyahu stated that the two corridors would remain under Israeli control.

There has been some skepticism regarding the US claims that Hamas is the main obstacle to reaching a deal. Anonymous Israeli officials quoted by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth referred to these assertions as a "gift" to Netanyahu and a potential "death blow" to the ongoing negotiations.

While the Biden administration has been optimistic about a nearing ceasefire agreement, there are still significant differences between Hamas and the Netanyahu government. The Israeli government has made it clear that they will continue the war until Hamas is completely neutralized, even if a temporary ceasefire is reached.

As the talks continue, the international community remains hopeful that a compromised resolution will be achieved, bringing sustainable peace and stability to the region.