EXCERPT: Blinken has urged Hamas to agree to cease-fire proposal, citing it as a pivotal moment for peace and security.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Monday that Israel has agreed to a proposal aimed at resolving issues blocking a cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza, urging Hamas to do the same without specifying whether it addresses the group’s concerns.
Blinken made the statement following a 2½-hour discussion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and he is scheduled to visit Egypt on Tuesday. The United States, Egypt, and Qatar have been working for months to negotiate an agreement, though the talks have repeatedly faced setbacks.
He did not confirm if the proposal addresses Israel’s demand for control over two strategic routes inside Gaza a point Hamas has firmly rejected or if it tackles other long-standing negotiation hurdles.
“In a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu today, he assured me that Israel endorses the bridging proposal,” Blinken told reporters. “The next crucial step is for Hamas to agree.”
Earlier, Blinken stated that now is the time to finalise a Gaza cease-fire agreement that would secure the return of hostages held by Hamas and alleviate Palestinian suffering after over 10 months of intense conflict in Gaza.
This is Blinken’s ninth visit to the Middle East since the conflict began, coming just days after U.S. and other mediators expressed renewed optimism about nearing a deal. However, Hamas has voiced strong discontent with the latest proposal, while Israel has indicated certain points on which it is unwilling to compromise.
The visit, ahead of further talks expected this week in Egypt, comes amid concerns that the conflict could escalate into a broader regional war following the targeted killing of two high-ranking militants in Lebanon and Iran, which have been attributed to Israel.
“This is a pivotal moment, likely the best, possibly the last, chance to bring the hostages home, secure a cease-fire, and set everyone on a more stable path toward lasting peace and security,” Blinken said as he began talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv.
“It’s also time to ensure that no one takes actions that could derail this process,” he added, indirectly referencing Iran. “We are working to prevent any escalation, provocations, or actions that could move us away from finalising this deal or escalate the conflict further.”
Herzog expressed gratitude to Blinken for the Biden administration’s support for Israel and mourned the recent spate of attacks against Israelis over the past 24 hours.
“This is the reality we face daily,” Herzog said. “We are surrounded by terrorism on all sides, but we are fighting back as a resilient and strong nation.”
Mediators are scheduled to reconvene in Cairo this week to solidify a cease-fire agreement. Blinken is set to travel to Egypt on Tuesday for meetings in the coastal city of el-Alamein after concluding his visit to Israel.
He held a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu for 2½ hours on Monday, followed by discussions with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas-led militants infiltrated Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping around 250 others.
Approximately 110 of these hostages are still believed to be in Gaza, although Israeli authorities estimate that about a third of them are deceased. Over 100 hostages were released in November during a week-long cease-fire.
Israel’s counterattacks in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and have left much of the area in ruins.
Late last week, the three mediating countries Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. reported progress on a deal under which Israel would halt most military operations in Gaza and release several Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of hostages.
Shortly before Blinken’s arrival in Tel Aviv on Sunday, Netanyahu told a Cabinet meeting that there are areas where Israel can show flexibility, and other unspecified areas where it cannot.
“We are negotiating, not just yielding,” he said.
The proposed plan involves a three-stage process where Hamas would release all hostages taken during the October 7 attack. In return, Israel would withdraw its forces from Gaza and release Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas has accused Israel of introducing new demands, such as maintaining a military presence along the Gaza-Egypt border to prevent arms smuggling and along a line dividing the territory to inspect Palestinians returning to their homes in the north. Israel maintains these are not new demands but clarifications of a prior proposal.
Officials have stated that the U.S. has suggested solutions to bridge the remaining gaps between the Israeli and Hamas positions. Formal responses to the U.S. proposal are expected this week, potentially leading to a cease-fire announcement unless the talks stall, as has happened multiple times before.
Late Sunday, Hamas issued a statement accusing Netanyahu of continuing to set up obstacles to a deal by imposing new conditions, alleging he wants to extend the war. Hamas claimed that the mediators’ latest offer was a surrender to Israel’s demands.
“The new proposal aligns with Netanyahu’s conditions,” Hamas said.
On Monday, Blinken urged both sides to take this opportunity to reach an agreement.
“It’s time for everyone to agree and stop finding excuses to say no,” he said.
An Israeli delegation engaged in discussions with Egyptian officials as part of the truce negotiations, according to an Egyptian official on Monday.
The hours-long meeting on Sunday focused on the Philadelphi corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border but did not result in a breakthrough, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing negotiations.
The official noted that Israel still insists on retaining control of the border and the east-west route that cuts through Gaza. He added that the delegation did not offer any new proposals during their meeting.
Nancy Mbamalu
Follow us on:
