The Biden administration has formally requested that Israel postpone its full-scale ground operation in Gaza to allow room for ongoing hostage negotiations, according to sources cited by The Jerusalem Post. While limited military activity continues, Washington is pressing for a window to finalize a potential hostage deal with Hamas.

This marks a strategic attempt to balance military objectives with humanitarian imperatives and diplomatic leverage.

Israeli officials have made clear that once a major ground maneuver begins, they will not withdraw from captured territory—even if a deal is reached afterward. Defense Minister Israel Katz reinforced the stance, stating, “We will act with full force and will not stop until all objectives are achieved.”

Such rigidity complicates efforts to secure a ceasefire as part of any broader resolution.

The Israeli delegation was recalled from Qatar last week after Hamas demanded U.S. guarantees for ending the war as a condition of any deal. Though Israel considers the current proposal—the “Witkoff Framework”—still active, officials admit the process is “deadlocked.”

Despite this, indirect negotiations continue through U.S. interlocutor Dr. Bashara Bahbah, a former head of “Arab Americans for Trump,” suggesting a continued American investment in brokering a breakthrough.