Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has labeled a ceasefire proposal put forward by Hamas as delusional, while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken believes there is still room for progress in negotiations. The offer by Hamas was in response to a proposal presented by U.S. and Israeli intelligence chiefs and delivered to Hamas last week by mediators from Qatar and Egypt.
Netanyahu, speaking at a press conference, reiterated his commitment to destroying Hamas and emphasized that complete victory was the only solution to the ongoing conflict. He stated, The day after is the day after Hamas. All of Hamas. He also asserted that continued military pressure was necessary for the release of hostages.
In contrast, Blinken, after a meeting with Netanyahu, expressed optimism about the potential for negotiations. He acknowledged that while there were certain nonstarters in Hamas’ proposal, he saw an opportunity for pursuing a truce agreement and reaching a resolution.
Blinken had separate meetings with leaders from Qatar and Egypt, as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to broker peace in the region.
Hamas officials responded to Netanyahu’s remarks, dismissing them as political bravado and a sign of his intention to perpetuate conflict. Another Hamas official called on Palestinian armed factions to continue fighting. Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation led by senior official Khalil Al-Hayya is scheduled to travel to Cairo for ceasefire talks with mediators from Egypt and Qatar.
Amidst the escalating tensions, Israel initiated its military offensive after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took 253 hostages in southern Israel on October 7. The conflict has resulted in a significant number of casualties, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting at least 27,585 Palestinians confirmed killed and many more feared buried under rubble. Only one truce has been established to date, lasting for a week in November.
Israel had previously stated that it would not withdraw its troops from Gaza or end the war until Hamas was eradicated.
The proposal presented by Hamas outlines a three-phase approach to ending the war. The first phase involves the release of Israeli women hostages, males under 19, and those who are old or sick, in exchange for Palestinian women and children held in Israeli jails. Additionally, Israel would withdraw troops from populated areas in Gaza.
The second phase is contingent upon indirect talks between the two sides regarding the requirements for ending military operations and restoring complete calm. This phase includes the release of the remaining male hostages and a full Israeli withdrawal from all of Gaza. The exchange of the remains of the deceased would occur during the third phase.
The United States views the proposed hostage and truce deal as part of a broader plan for resolving the Middle East conflict, ultimately leading to reconciliation between Israel and its Arab neighbors and the establishment of a Palestinian state. However, Netanyahu opposes the creation of a Palestinian state, a stance that Saudi Arabia views as a prerequisite for normalizing relations with Israel.
The Israeli military has been targeting Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza, and has announced plans to storm Rafah. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that such actions would exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation and have significant regional consequences.
According to the International Rescue Committee, an Israeli advance towards Rafah would sever the humanitarian lifeline from Egypt and put Palestinian children, women, and men at risk of starvation and disease.
Reports suggest that dozens of militants have been killed in the fighting over the past 24 hours. However, independently verifying these claims has proven challenging.
In Rafah, where half of Gaza’s population lives in close proximity to the Egyptian border, the bodies of ten people killed in Israeli airstrikes were laid out in a hospital morgue. Some of the victims were children, causing deep anguish among their grieving relatives.
As the situation continues to unfold, diplomatic efforts persist in search of a resolution that will bring lasting peace to the region while minimizing the loss of innocent lives. Both Hamas and Israel have expressed their respective positions, but the potential for negotiations and progress remains on the table.
