Newsletters
The United States, Qatar and Egypt will soon present a revised cease-fire proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict on Gaza between Israel and Hamas, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Thursday.
The U.S., Qatar, and Egypt are set to present a new cease-fire proposal to Israel and Hamas, with an agreement expected in the coming days, according to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The Biden administration is striving to find a resolution to the war in Gaza, with 90% of the cease-fire deal already agreed upon.
In remarks delivered in Haiti, Blinken stated that the final sticking points involve Israeli control of the Philadelphi Corridor, which runs along the Gaza-Egypt border, and the terms for exchanging Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
We’re in very active discussions, first of all, with our partners in this effort, Egypt and Qatar, and I expect in the coming days we will share with Israel, and they’ll share with Hamas, our thoughts — the three of us — on exactly how to resolve the remaining outstanding questions, and then it will be time, really, for the parties to decide — yes or no.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
Despite previous efforts to broker a cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar have yet to agree on terms. Netanyahu has repeatedly denied a potential cease-fire deal, but the White House keeps saying that the Gaza cease-fire agreement has made significant progress.
The Biden administration's push for a cease-fire gained fresh urgency after six Israeli hostages were found shot in a Gaza tunnel last weekend, sparking protests in Israel.
In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu expressed pessimism about reaching a deal soon, stating, “Hamas is not there with a deal” and “unfortunately, it’s not close.” The Israeli Embassy in Washington declined to comment on Thursday.
The Biden administration has been involved in ongoing negotiations, hoping to secure a cease-fire that includes the release of Israeli hostages captured during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people. In the aftermath, Israel launched a military campaign on Gaza which resulted in the killing of over 40,000 Palestinians.
The war has also affected the potential normalization of diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. When asked about the prospects of a peace agreement, Blinken remained optimistic but acknowledged the challenge posed by the conflict.
“If we can get a cease-fire in Gaza, there remains an opportunity for the balance of this administration to move forward on normalization,” Blinken said, adding that the pact would require a pathway to a Palestinian state, a proposal Israel’s leadership has so far rejected.
2 min read
