Washington on Israeli criticism: 'This is not the way allies treat each other'

The spokeswoman of the US State Department, Jennifer Psaki, said the US government is “surprised” and “disappointed” that the “confidential” draft US ceasefire proposal was leaked to the press.

In the State Department’s daily press briefing on Monday, Psaki told reporters that the US and Egyptian proposals are similar in that they both called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the opening of crossings, and mediation by the Egyptians on other core issues.

Psaki said the US proposal has been misrepresented by anonymous Israeli sources, and that “it’s simply not the way that partners and allies treat each other.”

“Obviously there’s a great deal of information out there that’s inaccurate,” she added.

Asked whether this would jeopardize the relationship between the two countries, Psaki said that “Israel remains an incredibly important partner” and that there is a need to “focus on laying out the facts and not undergoing an effort to distort what our effort is focused on here.”

Hamas insists that a ceasefire would only be possible if the siege on Gaza is lifted. “In the current stage, an immediate lifting of Israel’s siege and ending of Israel’s war is needed,” head of Hamas’s political bureau Khaled Meshaal said. “Only then will we accept a ceasefire.”