WASHINGTON, May 18. /TASS/. The US believes that the radical Palestinian movement Hamas is not ready to make a deal with Israel, hoping to increase international pressure on the country, the Axios news outlet reported, citing sources.

According to it, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said at a meeting with ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions of 17 countries whose citizens are being held hostage that Hamas has withdrawn from negotiations with Israel as it hopes to increase international pressure on the Jewish state by demanding an end to hostilities in the Gaza Strip. According to the news outlet, Sullivan said that the US leadership draw the conclusion that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar did not want to reach a ceasefire deal at the moment.

According to Axios, the White House aide asked his interlocutors to convey to Hamas that Israel and its allies will be forced to step up the pressure. Earlier, the White House press office said that Sullivan held a meeting Wednesday with the heads of diplomatic missions of Argentina, Austria, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, and the UK, during which they discussed efforts to free the hostages.

On Friday, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that Sullivan intends to discuss prospects for a Middle East settlement during his May 18-19 visit to Saudi Arabia and Israel. In particular, he will discuss the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 240 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians before the crisis, and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes have also been reported on the West Bank.