The United States, Qatar, and Egypt are in a scramble to mediate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas amidst a four-month conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Thursday marked the planned departure of a Palestinian Hamas delegation to Cairo for ceasefire talks with Egypt and Qatar, led by senior official Khalil Al-Hayya. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that he saw potential for negotiation.
Hamas urged Palestinian armed factions to fight after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Hamas’ latest offer delusional on Wednesday.
Blinken stated at a late-night press conference in a Tel Aviv hotel on Wednesday, “There are clearly nonstarters in what (Hamas has) put forward,” without specifying which nonstarters were present.
“But we also see space in what came back to pursue negotiations, to see if we can get to an agreement.” “That’s what we intend to do.”
The militant organization that controls Gaza, Hamas, has put forth a four and a half-month ceasefire proposal. According to this timetable, Hamas proposes releasing all hostages held in Gaza, withdrawing Israeli troops from the region, and reaching a resolution to the ongoing conflict.
Hamas responded to a U.S. and Israeli spy chief proposal delivered to Hamas last week by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
Israel may grant exile to Hamas military leader Yahya Sinwar in return for the liberation of all hostages and the dissolution of the Hamas government in Gaza, according to a half-dozen Israeli officials and senior advisers who spoke with NBC News.
Netanyahu, in reaction to the Hamas plan, reaffirmed his commitment to eradicate the Islamist movement, asserting that Israel had no choice but to facilitate its demise.
“Continued military pressure is a necessary condition for the release of the hostages,” Netanyahu said.
