CIA Director William Burns said a more detailed proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will be presented within days.

Burns made the remarks at a Financial Times event in London on Saturday, alongside Richard Moore, the head of Britain's foreign intelligence service MI6, in their first public appearance together.

After 11 months since the start of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, Burns, as a representative of the United States, is working with Qatar and Egypt to reach a ceasefire agreement. Burns said that work is underway on "innovative texts and wording" to reach a proposal that satisfies both parties.

"We will make this proposal more detailed, hopefully in the next few days, and then we will see," he said. It is a matter of political will, he said, and he hoped that leaders on both sides would recognize that "it is finally time to make some hard choices and make some hard compromises."

Burns and Richard Moore said their agencies had “used our intelligence channels to push hard for restraint and de-escalation” in efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. In an opinion piece for the Financial Times, the intelligence chiefs said a ceasefire in Gaza “could end the suffering of Palestinian civilians and their appalling loss of life and bring the hostages home after 11 months of captivity.”

No deal has yet been reached, though US officials insist it is close. US President Joe Biden recently said there were “only two more issues” left to resolve. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said reports of a breakthrough were “completely inaccurate.”

The ceasefire negotiations in Gaza have reached a critical stage, due to Netanyahu's insistence on continuing the war on the Strip, and not withdrawing from the Netzarim and Salah al-Din (Philadelphi) axes in the center and south of the Strip, while Hamas insists on ending the war, returning the displaced, and a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Strip to conclude any agreement.

The United States and the United Kingdom are strong allies of Israel, although London broke with Washington on Monday by suspending some arms exports to Israel over the risk that they could be used to violate international law.

Since October 7, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza, killing and wounding more than 135,000 people, most of them children and women, and leaving more than 10,000 missing, amid massive destruction and deadly famine.

CNN quoted two US officials as saying that the major obstacles facing the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza have raised doubts within the White House about the possibility of ending the war before the end of President Joe Biden's term.

A senior US official said it was unclear whether using US influence on Israel, such as withholding arms, would affect a government that includes far-right figures, such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

CNN also quoted a senior Democratic source as saying that Biden has become "obsessed" with the hostage issue and the ceasefire in Gaza recently.

For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his pessimism about the imminent conclusion of an agreement, and stressed the need for Israeli forces to remain in southwestern Gaza despite international pressure to withdraw.