US negotiators have been more vocal regarding their criticism of Hamas, particularly in the aftermath of the terror group’s execution of six hostages over a week ago.

US officials said US President Joe Biden’s months-long push for a ceasefire and hostage release deal faced renewed urgency on Sunday after Israeli forces recovered the bodies of six hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday it was incumbent on both Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas to say yes on remaining issues to reach a Gaza ceasefire deal. Nearly 90% of the Gaza ceasefire deal is agreed,

Hamas called on the United States Thursday to "exert real pressure" on Israel to reach a Gaza cease-fire agreement as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was no deal in the making. The two sides have traded blame over stalling talks for a cease-fire and hostage exchange as Netanyahu faces pressure to seal a deal following the deaths of six Gaza captives.

The two sides have been negotiating for months over a deal to pause fighting in Gaza and get Hamas to release more hostages it’s holding in the Palestinian territory.