The United States is preparing to offer a final “take it or leave it” proposal for a ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas, according to a Washington Post report citing a senior official from President Biden’s administration. This deal was being formulated in collaboration with Egypt and Qatar before the discovery of the bodies of six young hostages, which has now cast doubt on Hamas’s seriousness in negotiations. Despite this grim development, the official stressed that it does not derail the process but rather adds urgency to concluding it. However, the discovery has complicated matters, necessitating a renegotiation of the lists of hostages and Palestinian prisoners involved in the exchange. The official confirmed that US intelligence agrees with Israel’s assessment that the hostages were executed by Hamas, which raises questions about the group’s commitment to the negotiations. With time running out, US officials will intensify their efforts over the next 48 hours to see if a deal can still be achieved. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)