U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent remarks have intensified tensions surrounding the Gaza ceasefire talks, with Israeli officials suggesting that his comments may have effectively doomed the negotiations.
According to local media, Blinken’s implication that Hamas was obstructing a deal and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted a proposal from Washington has created a rift in the talks. Blinken expressed optimism about the outcome of the latest negotiations, but sources indicate this may have inadvertently sabotaged the chances for a successful agreement.
The current negotiations focus on demands from Netanyahu for Israel to retain control over the Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors. The Philadelphi Corridor, a 14 km-long buffer zone along the Gaza-Egypt border, and the Netzarim Corridor, a 6 km stretch in northern Gaza, are crucial to Israeli security interests.
Despite Netanyahu’s insistence on maintaining control and a military presence at the Rafah border crossing, Blinken announced a “bridging proposal” involving a detailed plan for Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza.
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Blinken’s comments, which suggested that the next move was up to Hamas, have reportedly undermined the chances of a planned summit in Cairo later this week. Sources familiar with the talks criticized Blinken’s statements as a serious error, attributing it to a lack of understanding and suggesting that it was influenced by U.S. domestic political considerations.
Hamas has responded by rejecting the latest U.S. proposal, which deviates from President Joe Biden’s earlier outline announced in May. The new proposal, discussed in Qatar, includes additional demands from Netanyahu that Hamas deems unacceptable.
Hamas described the proposal as a “reversal” of previous plans and criticized it as an acquiescence to Netanyahu’s “criminal plans” for Gaza.
Additionally, Egyptian sources have indicated that a potential compromise might involve either maintaining an Israeli security presence in the Philadelphi Corridor or replacing troops with advanced monitoring systems. Egypt would agree to these options if Palestinian factions, including Hamas, support them.
As the ceasefire negotiations face mounting challenges, the international community remains closely watchful of developments in the region.
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