TEL AVIV: Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Hamas to agree to a US-proposed bridging plan aimed at securing a truce in Gaza and a prisoner exchange, following what he described as a “very constructive” meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog on Monday.
Blinken emphasized that this proposal might be the best and possibly last chance for reaching an agreement and called on both parties to move forward. Recent talks in Doha ended without progress as Hamas refused to accept new conditions and insisted that Israel adhere to prior agreements from July 2. New negotiations are expected to resume this week based on the US’s bridging proposal.
With continued Israeli airstrikes resulting in at least 40 more Palestinian deaths, bringing the total to at least 40,139, and a Palestinian group resuming bombings inside Israel after years of dormancy, the situation remains tense.
Blinken reported that Netanyahu has accepted the US proposal, but he stressed that Hamas must do the same for the deal to move forward. The US, Egypt, and Qatar are involved as mediators to help finalize the agreement.
Despite optimism from US officials and Netanyahu’s office, both Israel and Hamas have indicated that reaching a deal will be challenging. Hamas has accused Netanyahu of obstructing mediation efforts and criticized the US for presenting an overly optimistic view. The group has rejected the new conditions proposed by the US, insisting on a permanent ceasefire and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from key strategic areas in Gaza.
Israeli President Herzog, speaking alongside Blinken, condemned Hamas’s refusal to advance the negotiation process.
