The war between Hamas and Israel has been going on since October last year. In an attempt to bring about a ceasefire in this war, the US Secretary of State has met Benjamin Netanyahu and said that Israel has approved the ceasefire agreement. However, Hamas has made a big allegation and said that the purpose of this conversation is only to give Israel more time so that it can continue the massacre in Gaza. Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced late Monday night that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted a proposal for a Gaza ceasefire agreement and he has also appealed to Hamas to accept it.
Meanwhile, Hamas has revealed Israel’s new conditions for the Gaza ceasefire. Hamas has appealed to the world to put pressure on Netanyahu and the Israeli government to sign a ceasefire agreement. The agreement was proposed by Biden on May 31 and endorsed by the United Nations Security Council on June 11. Hamas has agreed to a three-phase proposal that includes an immediate ceasefire in the first phase, withdrawal of Israeli forces in border areas, unconditional return of displaced people to their homes and release of captives and prisoners. However, Hamas has said that after this agreement, Israel is committing more genocide in Gaza. Hamas has said that the Israeli leader also presented new conditions for talks. Israel has said that it will not withdraw from the Rafah crossing.
We will only agree to Biden’s proposal – Hamas
Hamas has insisted that the goal of the ceasefire agreement should be a permanent end to the war in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. Hamas says the US proposal would give the Israeli army control over the Netzarim corridor that separates Gaza from the north and south. “We will only agree to Biden’s proposal, which we agreed to a few months ago. Israel has backed away from the issues included in Biden’s proposal. Netanyahu’s agreement to this proposal indicates that the US administration has failed to persuade him to accept the previous agreement,” Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan told Al Jazeera after Blinken’s comments on Monday.
Blinken said the last chance for a ceasefire
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described the ongoing talks during his visit to Israel as perhaps the last chance for the release of Israeli prisoners and a ceasefire. Speaking in Tel Aviv on Monday after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken said that Netanyahu has agreed to the proposal put forward by the US. Speaking to the media, Blinken said, “In a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu today, he confirmed to me that Israel accepts the bridge proposal and supports it. Now Hamas should do the same.” Blinken did not clarify what changes have been made to the proposal that Netanyahu agreed to after rejecting previous deals.
Ninth visit of US Foreign Minister in 10 months
Ahead of a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday, Blinken stressed the urgency of reaching an agreement that could help calm regional tensions. “This is a defining moment. Perhaps the best, perhaps the last, opportunity to bring hostages home, get a ceasefire, and put everyone on a better path to lasting peace and security,” he said on his ninth visit to the region since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza in October. “I’m here at President Biden’s direction to finalize this agreement and as part of the diplomatic effort… Now is the time for everyone to say ‘yes’ and not look for any excuse to say ‘no,’” Blinken said. “Now is the time to get it done. It’s also time to make sure that no one takes any action that would derail this process,” he said.
More than 40,000 deaths so far
The US, Egypt and Qatar are mediating several indirect talks between Israel and Hamas. The last round of talks in Qatar ended without a solution on Friday. Talks are expected to resume in Cairo, Egypt this week. Hamas is insisting that the ceasefire should end the war forever, while Israel has said that any agreement should not prevent it from continuing the war. Meanwhile, Israeli attacks in Gaza continue. According to Palestinian health officials, the death toll from Israeli bombing has now risen to more than 40,000.
