09/06/2024 September 6, 2024
Blinken urged Israel, Hamas to fill gaps in ceasefire deal
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged both Israel and Hamas that, according to US assessments, 90% of the deal had already been agreed.
“From what I’ve seen, 90% agree but some critical points remain,” Blinken said.
He said it was incumbent on both Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas to fill these gaps and reach an agreement that would end the fighting and secure the release of hostages in Gaza.
Sticking points include a potential Israeli presence in the Philadelphia Corridor — the southern edge of the Gaza Strip that borders Egypt — and how hostages and Palestinian prisoners would be exchanged, Blinken said.
“I hope that in the coming days, we will share with Israel and them [ and Egypt] The three of us will share our thoughts with Hamas on exactly how to resolve the remaining outstanding issues,” Blinken added.
“I believe we’re closer to getting a cease-fire agreement, every day that goes by where it’s not finalized and the parties don’t say, ‘Yes, period,’ is a day that something else happens, and there’s a mediation event. That just throws things off and runs the risk of derailing a pretty delicate apple cart,” he said.
In an interview with US news channel Fox, he seemed less optimistic that a deal would be reached soon, saying, “It’s not close.”
The Israel–Hamas war broke out on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched several attacks on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping about 250 more. Of the hostages, 97 remain in Gaza, with 33 said to have been killed by the Israeli military.
According to the local Hamas-run health ministry, more than 40,800 people have been killed there by Israeli retaliation against Hamas. More than 2.3 million people in Gaza – almost the entire population – have been displaced while key infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and housing have been destroyed.
Fighting in the occupied West Bank and along the Israel-Lebanon border has raised fears that the conflict could expand.
Israel, the United States, Germany and several other countries classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.
mk/sms (Reuters, AFP, AP, DPA)
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