Monday, August 19, 2024, saw US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declare that Washington’s most recent diplomatic attempt to broker a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is “probably the best” and “perhaps the last opportunity” to put an end to the fighting in the area. On Sunday (August 18), Hamas rejected the proposal.
Blinken is in Israel as, as he said, “part of an intensive diplomatic effort” to reach a ceasefire agreement. “This is a defining moment. It is probably the best and perhaps the last opportunity to bring the hostages home, to get a ceasefire, and to put everyone on a better path to lasting peace and security,” Blinken told reporters, as quoted by Reuters.
The proposal rejected by Hamas was drafted jointly by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar. The extremist group accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuof changing the terms of the agreement and criticized the Americans for allegedly giving in to its demands.
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“After being briefed by the mediators about what happened in the last round of negotiations in Doha (Qatar), we once again came to the conclusion that Netanyahu is still putting obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement and is setting new conditions and demands with the aim of undermining the efforts of the mediators and prolonging the war,” Hamas said.
Among the points of contention, the extremist group highlighted the lack of a permanent ceasefire and the lack of a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The group also opposed giving control of the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphia corridor, as demanded by Netanyahu, and limited the movement of civilians from the southern to the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
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Negotiations are expected to continue throughout this week. “It’s time for everyone to get to yes and not look for excuses to say no,” Blinken said.
“It is also time to ensure that no one takes measures that could disrupt this process. That is why we are working to ensure that there is no escalation [in the conflict] and that there are no provocations,” he added.
