TEHRAN- Since unveiling a ceasefire plan for Gaza nearly a month ago, the United States has stepped up smear campaigns against the Hamas resistance movement.

President Joe Biden proposed the plan in a televised statement on May 31 and described it as an Israeli ceasefire proposal.

On June 10, the United Nations Security Council approved a US resolution backing its ceasefire plan which called for ending the Gaza war.

The resolution set out conditions for a complete ceasefire, the release of Israeli and foreign captives held in Gaza, and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners.

The US claimed that the regime of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to the ceasefire plan calling on Hamas to accept it too. 

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US ambassador to the UN, said after the Security Council passed the resolution that the vote "sent a clear message to Hamas to accept the ceasefire deal on the table," reiterating that "the fighting could stop today”, if Hamas did so.  

Hamas welcomed the resolution urging the US to provide guarantees that the Israeli regime will abide by the resolution and implement it. 

Netanyahu, however, has not stated directly whether he supports the ceasefire plan. His army has also continued its war of genocide against Gaza even after the Security Council overwhelming passed the resolution. 

Despite the transparent position of the Palestinian resistance group and Israel’s warmongering strategy, Washington’s propaganda machine against Hamas has been working round the clock accusing the movement for the failure of the truce. 
 

No to ceasefire 

On Sunday, Netanyahu gave an interview saying Israel will not end the Gaza war even if his regime agrees to a ceasefire deal with Hamas. 

Netanyahu said Israel is prepared “to make a partial deal [with Hamas] – this is no secret – that will return to us some of the people”, referring to the remaining captives held in Gaza. 

He doubled down on his promises to defeat Hamas. 

 “But we are committed to continuing the war after a pause, in order to complete the goal of eliminating Hamas. I’m not willing to give up on that.”

These statements clearly indicate that he is walking back on his commitment to the US ceasefire plan which was approved in the form of a resolution at the Security Council.  
 

Hamas position 
The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas issued a statement saying Netanyahu’s position confirms his rejection of Biden’s ceasefire proposal.

Hamas attached significance to its call for a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. 

It described the call as “an inevitable necessity to block Netanyahu’s attempts of evasion, deception, and perpetuation of aggression and the war of extermination against our people”.

Netanyahu’s insistence on pressing ahead with the Gaza war has thrown doubt on Washington’s sincerity in proposing the Gaza ceasefire deal.  

The US is Israel’s main ally which provides it with unwavering military and political support. Undoubtedly, President Biden is just one phone call away from ordering Netanyahu to end the war.

In order to obscure its reluctance to exert pressure on Israel, the White House has proposed the ceasefire deal to paper over its complicity in the Israeli war of genocide on Gaza which has left more than 37,600 Palestinians dead since October 7.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s remarks have brought to mind the comments that the Russian ambassador to the UN made when the Security Council approved the US-backed resolution.

Russia was the only country in the 15-member Security Council that abstained while 14 others voted in favor.

“Hamas has been called to accept the so-called “deal”. But there is still no clarity as to whether Israel has formally agreed, as stipulated in the resolution, to the “deal” proposed by President Biden, given numerous statements by Israel on continuing the war until Hamas is completely defeated. What exactly did Israel agree to?” Vassily

Nebenzia said after the vote as he tried to explain why Russia had decided to abstain. 

Since launching war on Gaza, Netanyahu has vowed to “destroy” Hamas. He has failed to achieve his goal. Hence, the Israeli premier prolongs the war to cover up the regime’s military failures. 

The US ceasefire plan is also seen as an electoral tactic ahead of the November presidial election amid rising domestic opposition to Washington’s backing for Israel’s onslaught on Gaza.