During his visit to Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke of what might be the last opportunity to secure the release of the hostages. Now there is finally hope. What is Hamas doing?
According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israel has accepted the latest US-backed proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza. Now it is up to Hamas to agree to the proposal, Blinken said during his trip to Israel. He had previously met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for around three hours. Afterwards, Blinken spoke of a productive conversation.
According to Blinken, the current bridging proposal reflects the content of the ceasefire agreement that US President Joe Biden presented to the world in May. After that, the process will proceed in phases: an initial ceasefire over a period of six weeks in which hostages are released and prisoners are exchanged, and negotiations on the terms of a permanent ceasefire.
Blinking pushes for speed before the finish line
Blinken said he was traveling to the Middle East to “get the finish line” of efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and release the hostages, adding that there was a great urgency to achieving this.
In the coming days, negotiating experts must come together to reach clear agreements on how to implement the agreement, Blinken said. “These are still complex issues and they will require difficult decisions by heads of state and government.”
Blinken nevertheless hoped for a quick agreement: “The longer this goes on, the more hostages will suffer, possibly die.” “Other things could also happen,” said the American chief diplomat, referring to the tense situation in the Middle East.
Decisive moment in ceasefire talks
At a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv, Blinken said: “This is a critical moment, probably the best, perhaps the last opportunity to bring the hostages home, to achieve a ceasefire, and to put everyone on a better path to lasting peace and security.”
Blinken then met with the Israeli prime minister in Jerusalem. Netanyahu’s office later announced that the conversation lasted about three hours and was “positive and in a good atmosphere.” The head of government reiterated that Israel was “committed to the current US proposal for the release of our hostages, which takes into account Israel’s security needs, which he (Netanyahu) strongly insists on.”
Relatives of the hostages hope
In a statement issued on the evening after Blinken’s announcement, the hostages’ relatives said they were urging all parties to sign an agreement as soon as possible. “We cannot afford to waste this critical opportunity, which could be the last opportunity,” they said. “The hostages are running out of time. Now is the time for decisive action.”
Blinken had met with relatives of the hostages in his hotel that evening. During the meeting, several hundred people demonstrated in front of the building for a hostage deal and called on Blinken to put pressure on the Israeli government.
USA wants to stop further escalation in the Middle East
Regarding international efforts to reach an agreement in the indirect talks between Israel and the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas, Blinken said: “It is time to bring it to a conclusion.” It is necessary to ensure that “no one takes steps that could torpedo this process.” Blinken said: “We want to make sure that there is no escalation, that there are no provocations.”
It is necessary to prevent “the conflict from escalating into other regions and becoming even more intense,” Blinken said. There are concerns about possible attacks on Israel from Iran, the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah and others. Therefore, US President Joe Biden is taking decisive steps such as moving troops to the region to prevent any attacks “and, if necessary, to defend against any attacks.”
After the killing of two high-ranking enemies of Israel in Tehran and Beirut almost three weeks ago, Iran and the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah threatened massive retaliatory strikes.
Herzog: We want to see hostages home quickly
President Herzog accused Hamas of bearing the main responsibility for the failure of talks mediated by the USA, Egypt and Qatar in recent months due to its refusal to cooperate. “We are still very hopeful that we can make progress in the negotiations,” Herzog said at the same time. They want to see the hostages “back home as soon as possible.”
According to Israeli figures, Hamas still has 115 hostages in its power, 41 of whom Israel has declared dead. In addition, other hostages whose fate is unknown are probably no longer alive.
Blinken will remain in the region until Tuesday and plans to travel from Israel to Egypt. Negotiators are scheduled to meet in Cairo this week to discuss specific issues. Another top-level meeting is planned for Sunday.
One of the most controversial issues in the negotiations is whether Israel will withdraw from the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, which it captured in May. Hamas is demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal. Netanyahu, on the other hand, is demanding that the Israeli army continue to control the so-called Philadelphia Corridor even after a ceasefire, for example to prevent the smuggling of weapons.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
