The United States has blamed Hamas for the rising deaths in Gaza since Israel resumed hostilities. Acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Dorothy Shea, told the U.N. Security Council that Hamas had a chance to prevent further violence but refused a ceasefire deal.
“Hamas bears full responsibility for the ongoing war in Gaza and for the resumption of hostilities. Every death would have been avoided had Hamas accepted the bridge proposal that the United States offered last Wednesday,” Shea told the 15-member council on Friday.
Israel Resumes Bombardment After Truce Collapse
Israel ended a two-month truce three days ago, launching fresh airstrikes and ground operations to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages. According to Israeli officials, 400 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday alone as airstrikes intensified.
Meanwhile, Hamas announced on Friday that it was still considering the U.S. proposal to restore a ceasefire. Out of the 250 hostages taken during Hamas’ October 2023 attack, 59 remain in Gaza, with only 24 confirmed alive.
Israel Warns Hamas: Negotiate or Face Destruction
Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon told the Security Council that Israel had already eliminated several top Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists.
“Hamas has a choice,” Danon said. “They can come back to the table and negotiate, or they can wait and watch their leadership fall, one by one. We will not stop until our people come home, all of them.”
Despite calls for de-escalation, Israel has rejected demands for an unconditional ceasefire, insisting that Hamas must surrender hostages and disarm. French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont urged Israel to resume humanitarian aid, stop bombings, and return to negotiations, warning that excessive force would only fuel further violence.
U.S. Blames Hamas for Deaths in Gaza as Crisis Deepens
As the war in Gaza continues, international pressure mounts on both sides to reach a lasting agreement, but peace remains elusive. The U.S. blames Hamas for the deaths in Gaza, arguing that the militant group had the opportunity to prevent bloodshed but refused to compromise. With no ceasefire in sight, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens, leaving civilians trapped in the conflict.
