A man with an above-the-knee amputation is fitted with a new prosthetic limb at the Jordanian field hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday — AFP NEW YORK, Sept 17 (Reuters/BBC/AFP): The United States is still working with mediators Egypt and Qatar to present a revised proposal for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Monday.
Officials have for weeks said a new proposal would be presented soon for a deal that would include the release of hostages taken from Israel by Palestinian militants Hamas when the war began on Oct 7.
Miller told reporters Washington was working with the mediators on what the proposal will contain and ensuring that "it's a proposal that can get the parties to an ultimate agreement."
"I don't have a timetable for you other than to say that we are working expeditiously to try to develop that proposal," Miller added.
UNGA to debate call for
end to Israeli occupation
UN member states will debate Tuesday a push by the Palestinians to formally demand an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories within 12 months.
The text, which has faced fierce criticism from Israel, is based around an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice calling Israel's occupation since 1967 "unlawful."
"Israel is under an obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible," read the opinion, requested by the General Assembly.
Israel sets goal of returning
60,000 residents to north
Israel has made the safe return of residents to the north of the country an official war goal, the prime minister's office has said. The decision was taken by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet late on Monday.
About 60,000 people have been evacuated from northern Israel because of near-daily attacks by Iran-backed Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon.
Cross-border fighting escalated on 8 October 2023 - a day after the deadly attack on Israel by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip - when Hezbollah fired at Israeli positions, in solidarity with the Palestinians.
What is Hezbollah and will it go to war with Israel?
"The Security Cabinet has updated the objectives of the war to include the following: Returning the residents of the north securely to their homes," a statement from the prime minister's office said. "Israel will continue to act to implement this objective," it added.
Earlier on Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the only way to return Israel's northern residents to their homes was through "military action", during a meeting with US envoy Amos Hochstein.
"The possibility for an agreement is running out as Hezbollah continues to 'tie itself' to Hamas, and refuses to end the conflict," a statement from his office said.
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