Biden is considering presenting final Gaza deal proposal within days

• Biden is going to meet with his national security team on Monday morning to determine the strategy for the final push regarding the deal, a source familiar with the issue said.
• Vice President Kamala Harris join Biden during a meeting with the U.S. hostage deal negotiating team on Monday, according to a White House schedule.

Driving the news: Six hostages who were held in Gaza, including U.S. citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin, were murdered by Hamas in recent days, Israeli and U.S. officials said.

• Their bodies were recovered by Israeli soldiers on Saturday. The Israeli Ministry of Health said autopsies showed the hostages were shot dead from a short distance.
• At least three of the hostages would have been released during the first phase of the possible deal.

Behind the scenes: Sullivan and President Biden's top Middle East adviser Brett McGurk held a one-hour Zoom call with family members of the seven U.S. hostages who are still held by Hamas in Gaza.

• Two sources with direct knowledge of the meeting said Sullivan and McGurk told the families that they didn't know if a deal would be concluded but added there was a chance and said they hoped it might happen in as soon as two weeks from now.
• Biden's top advisers told the families that in a few days the U.S. might present an updated version of its bridging proposal to both Israel and Hamas and give the parties another week to come back with a yes or no response, the sources said.
• They added there was significant progress in the negotiations in Cairo and Doha last week on the lists of hostages and Palestinian prisoners who are supposed to be released in the first phase of the deal.
• Sullivan and McGurk added that the updated bridging text wouldinclude a U.S. proposal regarding the Philadelphi corridor that they hope Egypt and Hamas could accept.

Zoom in: The Philadelphi corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border turned into the main sticking point in the negotiations.

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is insisting that Israeli forces stay deployed along the border during the 42 days of ceasefire that are part of the first phase of the deal.
• Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Gen. Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet director Ronen Bar and Mossad director David Barnea have all said they don't agree with Netanyahu's demand regarding the Philadelphi corridor.

• Netanyahu passed a cabinet decision on the issue last Thursday, which led to an unprecedented shouting match between him and his Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.
• Egypt and Hamas have so far rejected any proposal that included an Israel Defense Forces deployment along the Philadelphi corridor.

What they're saying: "National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held a virtual meeting with the families of the American hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and discussed the heartbreaking news of the six hostages killed by Hamas, including American Hersh Goldberg-Polin," the White House said.

• The White House said Sullivan discussed with the families "the ongoing diplomatic push across the highest levels of the U.S. government to drive towards a deal that secures the release of the remaining hostages."
• Sullivan emphasized President Biden's "deep commitment" to bring the hostages home as soon as possible, the White House said.
• The families said in a statement that Sullivan told them that "the next few days will be critical" in the push to free the hostages.
• "The families told Mr. Sullivan that all parties must unite on the demand that Prime Minister Netanyahu close the deal with Hamas and bring the hostages home," they said in the statement.

Go deeper... In photos: Thousands protest in Israel to demand Gaza deal

Editor's note: This article has been updated with details of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' scheduled meeting with the U.S. hostage deal negotiating team.