Blinken says ‘decisive moment’ for Gaza ceasefire talks
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv on Aug 19.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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TEL AVIV – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Aug 19 called the latest diplomatic push by Washington to achieve a ceasefire deal in Gaza “probably the best, maybe the last opportunity”, and urged all parties to get the agreement over the finish line.
But with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas saying it has resumed suicide bombing inside Israel after many years, and with Israeli air strikes still pounding Gaza, there was little sign of conciliation.
Hamas and another militant group, the Islamic Jihad, said they were behind a blast near a synagogue
A man who was carrying the bomb was killed and a passer-by was injured in the incident.
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said the man was carrying a backpack loaded with explosives that detonated “before he managed to reach a more heavily populated area”.
In a joint statement, the two Palestinian militant groups said their “martyrdom operations” inside Israel would return to the forefront as long as the “occupation’s massacres and assassination policy continue”.
The ceasefire talks in Qatar last week paused without a breakthrough, but the negotiations are to resume this week based on a US “bridging proposal”.
Mr Blinken met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier on Aug 19.
“This is a decisive moment, probably the best, maybe the last opportunity to get the hostages home, to get a ceasefire and to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security,” Mr Blinken told reporters ahead of his meeting with Mr Herzog.
“I’m here as part of an intensive diplomatic effort on President Joe Biden’s instructions to try to get this agreement to the line and ultimately over the line... It is time for everyone to get to yes and to not look for any excuses to say no,” he said.
Months of on-off talks have circled the same issues, with Israel saying the war can only end with the destruction of Hamas as a military and political force and Hamas saying it will only accept a permanent, and not a temporary, ceasefire.
Hamas and Israel are discussing a three-phase plan unveiled in May by Mr Biden
That called for a suspension of hostilities, the swop of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, some withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the return of civilians to the northern part of the territory.
Mr Netanyahu has previously insisted that the Israeli army remain stationed along the strategic Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors in Gaza to prevent arms smuggling from Egypt and block Hamas gunmen from returning to northern Gaza alongside civilians.
Another sticking point in the talks has been the number of Israeli hostages who would be freed in the first round of an exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Despite US expressions of optimism, both Israel and Hamas have signalled that a deal will be difficult.
Hamas accused Mr Netanyahu in a statement on Aug 18 of “thwarting the mediators’ efforts”, and Turkey said Hamas envoys said US officials were “painting an overly optimistic picture”.
“We hold Netanyahu fully responsible,” said Hamas.
Mr Netanyahu told Israel’s Cabinet that “we are conducting negotiations and not a scenario in which we just give and give”, his office said.
“There are things we can be flexible on and there are things that we cannot be flexible on, which we will insist on. We know how to distinguish between the two very well,” he said.
Mr Netanyahu accused Hamas – backed by Iran and designated a terrorist organisation by the United States and European Union – of being “completely obstinate.”
International pressure should, he said, be directed at the group’s leader Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be in hiding in Gaza.
But a US official, asked if Hamas’ comments amounted to a rejection of the deal, said Washington believed the bridging proposal it outlined last week addressed various concerns and would iron out difficult implementation aspects.
The war erupted on Oct 7, 2023, when Hamas militants rampaged into Israel
Israel’s subsequent military campaign has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians
There has been increased urgency to reach a ceasefire deal amid fears of escalation across the wider region. Iran has threatened to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh
Mr Blinken repeated US caution against further escalation.
“It’s also time to make sure that no one takes any steps that could derail this process, and so we’re working to make sure that there is no escalation, that there are no provocations,” he added. REUTERS
