Blinken: Recent ceasefire talks in Gaza could be last chance to release hostages
Top line
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that the upcoming ceasefire talks in Gaza could be the last chance to secure the safe return of Israeli hostages held in the Palestinian territories and bring about an end to the fighting, Washington’s latest push for an agreement between Israel and Hamas while trying to stave off a wider regional conflict.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv on Monday as … (+)
Key data
Speaking before meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv, Blinken said this was a “defining 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.”
The senior US diplomat added that it was also time to ensure that “no one takes any steps that could jeopardise this process”. He warned that there was great concern in Israel about possible attacks by Iran, Hezbollah and other forces.
Blinken is on his ninth trip to the Middle East since the Gaza war began last October, one day before a planned meeting of mediators in Cairo to try to reach a ceasefire.
While President Joe Biden expressed optimism about an impending agreement, both Hamas and Netanyahu exchanged barbs on Sunday, accusing each other of trying to sabotage the deal.
The aim of the negotiations is to get both sides to agree on a three-stage ceasefire plan that Biden presented in May.
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Important background
Hamas rejected an updated ceasefire proposal on Sunday, saying the proposal takes into account Israel’s demands but ignores Hamas’s positions. Hamas is particularly opposed to Israel’s demands to be able to maintain a military presence along a strip of land on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt. Biden’s original proposal called for a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza’s populated areas in the first phase, followed by a full withdrawal from Palestinian territory in the second phase, “as long as Hamas fulfills its obligations.” Hamas also accused Netanyahu of sabotaging the work of mediators by adding new conditions to prolong the war, to which Netanyahu responded: “We are conducting negotiations, not a scenario where we simply give and give.” Netanyahu’s office also released a statement criticizing “serial leakers” in the Israeli negotiating team, accusing them of recommending “giving in to Hamas’s demand.”
tangent
Thousands of protesters have gathered in Chicago, site of the Democratic National Convention, this week to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. Protesters are demanding a complete arms embargo on Israel. On Sunday, around 1,000 protesters marched in Chicago chanting “Shut down the DNC,” Reuters reported. A group of delegates who are part of the “Uncommitted” movement have said they will not support Harris if she does not agree to the arms embargo. The delegates have also indicated they intend to raise the issue at the convention.
More information
Biden supports Israel’s ceasefire proposal: “Too many innocent people have been killed” (Forbes)
