WASHINGTON: The United States on Tuesday called for urgency and flexibility to finalize an agreement between Israel and Hamas for a truce in Gaza, after the recent deaths of six hostages.
鈥淭here are dozens of hostages still remaining in Gaza, still waiting for a deal that will bring them home. It is time to finalize that deal,鈥� State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
鈥淭he people of Israel cannot afford to wait any longer. The Palestinian people, who are also suffering the terrible effects of this war, cannot afford to wait any longer. The world cannot afford to wait any longer,鈥� Miller said.
Miller said that the United States will work 鈥渙ver the coming days鈥� with mediators Egypt and Qatar 鈥渢o push for a final agreement.鈥�
One key sticking point has been Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 insistence that Israeli troops remain at the border between Gaza and Egypt.
鈥淲e are opposed to the long-term presence of IDF troops in Gaza,鈥� Miller said, referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
鈥淔inalizing an agreement will require both sides to show flexibility. It will require that both sides look for reasons to get to yes rather than reasons to say no.鈥�
Pressure has been growing on Israel with Britain鈥檚 new Labour government on Monday saying it would stop some arms exports to Israel due to the 鈥渃lear risk鈥� they could be used in a serious breach of international humanitarian law.
Britain informed the United States, a close ally of both countries, before it made the decision, Miller said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not that we disagree with the UK position, it鈥檚 that the UK makes an assessment based on their legal framework,鈥� Miller said.
鈥淲e make an assessment based on our own legal frameworks,鈥� he said, adding that the United States was still reviewing incidents.
The State Department in May said it did not have enough evidence to block shipments of weapons but that it was 鈥渞easonable to assess鈥� that Israel has used arms in ways inconsistent with standards on humanitarian law.
The United States provides about $3 billion in weapons to Israel each year.