Project Sword
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the United Nations, warned that Washington would not pass the Algerian resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza if it was voted on in the UN Security Council as drafted.
Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement on Saturday that the United States has been working to reach a deal between Israel and Hamas that would release the hostages and suspend fighting for at least six weeks.
Over the past week, Biden has had several phone calls with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to push the deal forward. Although the gap still exists, the key elements have been made very clear, "said the ambassador.
"We believe that this agreement is the best opportunity to reunite all hostages with their families and to allow for a long pause in fighting, which will allow more life-saving food, water, fuel, medicine and other necessities to reach Palestinian civilians in desperate need," she said.
Last Wednesday, the Arab States of the United Nations reaffirmed their support for the Algerian draft resolution, which called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian relief during Israel's imminent ground incursion into Rafah.
In a statement on Saturday, Thomas-Greenfield called on the U.N. Security Council to ensure that "any action we take in the coming days will increase the pressure on Hamas to accept the offer at the negotiating table" and said the U.S. would continue diplomacy, adding that the U.S. "will be frank" with Israeli and regional leaders about the expectations of protecting more than 1 million civilians in Rafah.