US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted a “bridging proposal” presented by Washington to resolve differences blocking a ceasefire deal in Gaza and urged Hamas to do the same.
Blinken spoke to reporters after a day of meetings with Israeli officials, including a 2-1/2 hour meeting with Netanyahu that Blinken described as “very constructive.” The top U.S. diplomat had previously said the effort was likely the best and possibly last chance for a deal.
Talks for a ceasefire and hostage return agreement in Qatar stalled last week without a breakthrough, but negotiations are expected to resume this week based on a US proposal to bridge the gap between Israel and Hamas.
Blinken’s visit comes as US President Joe Biden faces growing pressure in an election year over his stance on the conflict, with his Democratic Party launching its national convention on Monday amid pro-Palestinian protests and concerns about the Muslim and Arab American vote in swing states.
However, with a Palestinian Islamist group announcing it would resume suicide bombings inside Israel after several years, claiming responsibility for a bombing in Tel Aviv on Sunday night, and medics saying Israeli military strikes killed at least 30 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Monday, there is little sign of agreement on the ground and there are fears of wider war in the region.
“In a very constructive meeting today with Prime Minister Netanyahu, he confirmed to me that Israel accepts the bridge-building proposal — and that he supports it,” Blinken told reporters in Tel Aviv.
“Now the onus is on Hamas to do the same, and then the two sides must come together with the help of the mediators — the United States, Egypt and Qatar — and complete the process of reaching a clear understanding about how they will implement the commitments they made under this agreement.”
Difficult Conversations
Despite US expressions of optimism and Netanyahu’s office describing the meeting as positive, both Israel and Hamas have indicated that any agreement will be difficult.
Months of negotiations have centered on a single issue, with Israel saying the war can only end with Hamas being destroyed as a military and political force, while Hamas says it will only accept a permanent ceasefire, not a temporary one.
There are disagreements inside Gaza, particularly over Israel’s continued military presence along the Egyptian border, the free movement of Palestinians within the territory, and the identity and number of prisoners to be released in exchange.
Blinken acknowledged the difficulties. “The challenge is, in addition to agreeing on Hamas’ bridging proposal, to also make sure that there’s a clear understanding on how the different parties will fulfill their commitments, how they will actually implement this agreement,” he said.
“These are complex issues, but that is why we have expert negotiators working on this… Prime Minister Netanyahu has committed to send his senior expert team to Doha or Egypt to complete this process.”
Hamas leaders have accused Washington of favoring Israel in ceasefire talks. “Blinken behaves as if he were a minister in Netanyahu’s government,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.
The current war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas gunmen crossed the border and raided Israeli communities, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping about 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Israel’s military campaign has destroyed large parts of the Palestinian territory, forcing some 2.3 million people from their homes, leading to deadly hunger and disease and killing at least 40,000, according to Palestinian health officials.
Philadelphia Corridor
Blinken met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Netanyahu on Monday on his ninth trip to the region since the war began. He later met Defense Minister Yoav Galant and is also scheduled to visit Egypt and Qatar.
Egyptian security sources said further ceasefire talks in Cairo this week depended on agreement on a security mechanism for the so-called Philadelphia Corridor between Egypt and Gaza. The US has proposed an international presence in the area, a suggestion that could be acceptable if it was limited to a maximum of six months, the sources said.
Families of hostages in Israel – who have staged protests demanding a settlement – spoke out again on Monday.
“Don’t sacrifice my daughter and dozens of other helpless hostages,” Ayelet Levi-Shachar said on Kan radio. Her 20-year-old daughter Naama was captured at an army base.
Some at the protest in Tel Aviv held American flags and placards that read “Make the hostage deal now,” “Hey Joe! Mr. Biden, help us save them” and “They don’t have time.”
Inside Gaza, Palestinians said they had little hope that Blinken’s visit would lead to a ceasefire.
“They are lying to destroy us even more. Kill us and our children, starve us and make us homeless. Blinken is useless, his visit will harm the Palestinian people,” said Hanan Abu Hamed, who was displaced from her home in Rafah.
The conflict has rocked the entire Middle East, with months of border fighting between Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement raging, and the involvement of major powers threatening to spark wider tensions.