Secretary of State Antony Blinken calls Israel’s latest offer to Hamas “extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel.” Firm details are nonexistent.
Bloomberg, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal provided no details of the allegedly generous offer.
Apparently the offer is so generous no one can say what’s in it.
Reuters reported Hamas says it received Israel’s response to its ceasefire proposal but Reuters provided no details either.
The Hill offers some details.
“Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel,” Blinken said during a panel discussion at the WEF.
“And in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a cease-fire is Hamas. They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly,” he continued. “I’m hopeful that they will make the right decision.”
The administration has not been public with the details of the latest proposal, although a senior administration official told reporters on a call Friday that baked into the proposal is to allow for the “structured” and “phased” return of Palestinians to the north of Gaza.
Other reported details of the possible deal include Hamas releasing 33 hostages, specifically those considered most vulnerable, women, the elderly, sick or injured; and that the length of a cease-fire would be contingent on the number of hostages released. Israel is also reportedly expected to release Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Other reports indicate that Israel may withdraw forces from certain areas.
Last week, the U.S. led a joint statement with the leaders of 17 other countries calling on Hamas to accept the latest cease-fire and hostage release proposal.
Hamas has told negotiators earlier this month it does not have 40 Israeli hostages that it can release as part of a temporary cease-fire deal, raising questions about how many hostages are alive and who is holding them.
“We’ve said clearly and for some time now, on Rafah, that in the absence of a plan to ensure that civilians will not be harmed, we can’t support a major military operation,” Blinken repeated Monday.
Those are the only details but they do not seem that certain or firm.
Blinken Begins High-Stakes Middle East Trip
The Wall Street Journal reports Blinken Begins High-Stakes Middle East Trip Aimed at Gaza Cease-Fire
The White House’s immediate goal is to secure a cease-fire that would delay an Israeli invasion of Rafah, the city in southern Gaza where more than a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. The Israeli military says Rafah is the last bastion for Hamas battalions in the besieged territory.
But Blinken’s goals go far beyond a cease-fire. He also is seeking to advance talks with top Saudi officials over an ambitious postwar plan that would lead to the establishment of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, lay the groundwork for an Arab force to stabilize Gaza and define a pathway leading to the creation of a Palestinian state.
The multifaceted deal under discussion would also include deeper security cooperation between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, American support for Riyadh’s development of civilian nuclear power, and curbing Chinese influence in the Middle East.
In the latest proposal, Israel has lowered the number of hostages it would require to be released at first and showed a willingness to enter a period of calm, a nod to the key Hamas demand of a pathway to a permanent cease-fire.
Hamas declined to comment. The group has blamed Israel for the lack of an agreement. Hamas representatives arrived in Cairo on Monday for talks with Egyptian and Qatari authorities, officials from those countries said.
Israeli officials have said the Rafah operation needs to go ahead to dismantle what they say are the four Hamas battalions operating there and the group’s leadership hiding there.
What does “willingness to enter a period of calm” mean other than “temporary truce”.
In return for Saudi Arabia and the US having closer cooperation (whatever that means), Saudi gets to develop nuclear power.
As for Saudi “curbing Chinese influence in the Middle East,” what a hoot. The US is energy independent. It’s China that is buying the Mideast and Russian oil.
As a result, don’t expect anything more than lip service by Saudi regarding curbing China’s influence.
Since details are sketchy on everything, it’s hard to say what to expect other than no real issues will be solved if there is a temporary truce now called a “willingness to enter a period of calm”
Israel’s latest offer to Hamas is exceedingly generous, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The lack of firm details only adds to the intrigue surrounding the proposal. Hopefully, Hamas swiftly makes a decision, as the people of Gaza are eager for a cease-fire to end the conflict.