US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Israel for his tenth visit since October, intensifying efforts to broker a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. This diplomatic push comes amid escalating violence, with Israeli strikes killing at least 19 Palestinians in Gaza, including six children and their mother in Deir Al-Balah.The death toll in Gaza has now reached a staggering 40,099, with over 92,000 injured since October 7, 2023. The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, with warnings of famine and the spread of diseases such as polio. Over 1 million people have been displaced in the Gaza Strip, many forced to live in crowded and unsanitary conditions.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for increased international pressure on Hamas, accusing the group of persistently refusing to accept the proposed truce. ‘Hamas has been obstinate in its refusal and has not even sent a representative to the talks in Doha,’ Netanyahu stated, emphasizing that ‘pressure should be directed at Hamas and its leader Yahya Sinwar, not at the Israeli government’.The US has presented a new compromise proposal in an attempt to bridge the remaining gaps between the two sides. The evolving proposal calls for a three-phase process: Hamas would release all hostages abducted during its October 7 attack, in exchange for Israel withdrawing its forces from Gaza and releasing Palestinian prisoners. However, Hamas has rejected this proposal, labeling it as ‘American dictates’ and expressing resistance to what it describes as new Israeli demands.As Blinken meets with Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, the international community watches closely, hoping for a breakthrough in the stalled negotiations. However, with deep-seated disagreements persisting and violence continuing, the path to a ceasefire remains fraught with challenges.
Key points
- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Israel for his tenth visit to broker a ceasefire.
- The death toll in Gaza has reached 40,099, with over 92,000 injured since October 7, 2023.
- Netanyahu calls for increased pressure on Hamas, accusing them of refusing to accept the proposed truce.
- The US has presented a new compromise proposal, which Hamas has rejected as ‘American dictates’.
Contradictions👾While Netanyahu calls for pressure on Hamas, Hamas claims that Israel is setting new conditions that could undermine negotiations.
