Blinken Urges Hamas to Accept U.S. Hostage Deal Proposal During Gaza Conflict Negotiations

Let’s face it folks. There will not be any peace in the Middle East at least until President Trump is back in office.  The Democrats love war way too much, and have allowed Iran to make billions of dollars, and have even given them billions directly, as well as Hamas, so they can attack Israel. We of course then give Israel money so they can fight back and repel attacks. So, in other words, we are the ‘Joker’ character on the global stage. Causing drama, war and strife thanks to Democrats being in power. But let’s make believe the Biden Administration actually wants peace…

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday pressed Hamas to accept the latest U.S. proposal for a hostage deal, as Washington intensified its efforts to reach an agreement that could potentially end the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

BREAKING: HUGE Win for Biden /Harris Administration :

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Netanyahu has just accepted the latest U.S. proposal on a Gaza ceasefire deal. pic.twitter.com/MPxtXjVj7N

— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) August 19, 2024

During a press briefing in Tel Aviv, following discussions with Israel’s political and military leaders, Blinken described his earlier meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “very constructive.” After this meeting, Netanyahu released a statement in support of the new U.S. proposal.

Blinken emphasized that Netanyahu “confirmed to me that Israel accepts the bridging proposal” offered by the U.S. in Doha the previous week. This proposal aims to address the remaining differences between the involved parties.

The Secretary of State further noted that Netanyahu is fully backing the proposal and now, it’s up to Hamas to follow suit. “The next important step is for Hamas to say yes,” Blinken reiterated, emphasizing the need for expert negotiators to work on clearly defining the terms of the agreement in the coming days.

However, Hamas official Osama Hamdan responded later on Monday, expressing concerns that Blinken’s comments about Netanyahu’s acceptance of the U.S. proposal were ambiguous and not aligned with what had been presented to Hamas. Hamdan highlighted that Hamas has already communicated to mediators that they do not seek new Gaza ceasefire negotiations but instead want to focus on implementing a mechanism for the agreements already in place.

Reuters reported that the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted a “bridging proposal” presented by Washington to tackle disagreements blocking a ceasefire deal in 1/2 pic.twitter.com/mgIAMeKJqi

— أبوسبحان اللّٰه𝑨𝐵𝒖𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒉 (@AbuSubhanAllah) August 20, 2024

Netanyahu informed Blinken during their three-hour meeting that he would dispatch his top negotiators to a likely summit in Cairo later in the week. This team, led by Mossad chief David Barnea, Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, and IDF hostage coordinator Nitzan Alon, had also participated in the Doha discussions, which concluded with the U.S. presenting its bridging proposal to Israel. While Hamas was not directly involved in these talks, the proposal was conveyed to them through intermediaries.

One key issue in the negotiations is the deployment of IDF troops along the Philadelphi corridor on the Egypt-Gaza border. Netanyahu insists on maintaining an IDF presence there, a demand that Hamas strongly opposes. An Israeli official indicated that the U.S. had not rejected Israel’s strategic stance on this issue, and efforts to find a solution that addresses Israel’s security concerns would continue.

When asked whether Netanyahu had agreed to a ceasefire as part of the deal, Blinken explained that the proposal reflects the ceasefire agreement previously introduced by President Biden, which had been incorporated into a U.N. Security Council resolution. This agreement outlines a phased process, beginning with an initial six-week ceasefire during which hostages would be released, prisoners exchanged, and further negotiations initiated to secure a lasting ceasefire.

Netanyahu has demanded that any truce deal must ensure an ongoing IDF presence along the Egypt-Gaza border and include measures to prevent Hamas from regaining military capabilities in northern Gaza. He also insists on Israel retaining the right to resume military operations if necessary to achieve the war’s goals, which include the release of all hostages, the dismantling of Hamas, and preventing Gaza from posing future threats to Israel.

JUST IN: Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted a final, bridging proposal to conclude a cease-fire deal in the Gaza Strip, and put the onus on Hamas to bring the agreement to a close.

MORE: https://t.co/Ci0l9WDkri pic.twitter.com/Cpa5bk1eqh

— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) August 19, 2024

Major Points:

• U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas to accept the latest U.S. proposal for a hostage deal, aiming to end the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support for the U.S. bridging proposal after a constructive meeting with Blinken in Tel Aviv.
• Hamas official Osama Hamdan raised concerns about ambiguities in the U.S. proposal, stating that it differed from what was presented to them.
• A major sticking point in negotiations is Netanyahu’s insistence on maintaining an IDF presence along the Egypt-Gaza border, which Hamas opposes.
• Blinken is continuing diplomatic efforts, with planned visits to Egypt and Qatar, to push for a summit aimed at securing a final agreement.

Fallon Jacobson – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News