The United States has modified its Gaza ceasefire proposal in an attempt to break the impasse in negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

President Joe Biden’s initial 3-phase plan was resoundingly rejected by Hamas last week, whom demanded even more concessions from Israel. The first phase of Biden’s original proposal calls for a gradual release of the living Israeli hostages currently held captive in Gaza, along with an initial withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain parts of the enclave.

The second phase calls for solidifying a permanent ceasefire while completing the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza territory. This phase also includes the stipulation of releasing hundreds of violent Arab prisoners being held in Israeli jails.

The third phase envisions the reconstruction and rebuilding of areas in Gaza that were damaged during the war. It would also see the return of deceased hostages to Israel.

According to CNN, the modified language presented by the US focuses addresses Hamas’ demand for negotiations to focus solely on the release of dangerous Arab prisoners from Israeli jails, while also allowing Israel to raise issues such as the demilitarization of Gaza. The White House is also pressuring Egypt and Qatar to persuade Hamas to accept the revised language, with one source suggesting that acceptance could lead to a finalized deal.

Opponents of the revision accuse President Biden of betraying America’s steadfast ally by prioritizing the release of dangerous Arab prisoners over Israel’s remaining hostages in Gaza.

Meanwhile, fighting persisted on Saturday in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood after Hamas’ surprising resurgence in the northern part of the strip. Israeli troops are engaged in operational activities against Hamas terror tunnels, while the Israeli Air Force has been striking critical terror infrastructure above ground, as per the the IDF.