JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

A senior US official has warned that the Tel Aviv government would pay a very heavy price if it does not agree to a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal in Gaza, according to the Israeli media.

The Jerusalem Post reported Wednesday that a meeting was held between US officials and the families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

During the meeting, the senior US official, whose name was not disclosed, criticized Israel’s stance in the negotiations to renew a ceasefire and hostage deal, stating that the US would reach a regional agreement with Saudi Arabia even without Israel’s involvement.

The official said the hostages in Gaza have already paid the price for the failure to end the war, adding: "If until now they paid the price of not ending the war, today the price will be much heavier for Israel — and not just for the hostages."

The unnamed US official emphasized that the truce agreement with the Houthis in Yemen was only a starting point, and warned: "If Israel doesn’t come to its senses, even the ‘Deal of the Millennium’ will happen without it."

It was reported that the relatives of the Israeli hostages present at the meeting interpreted the official’s remarks "as a shift in tone from an ally traditionally seen as backing Israel unconditionally."