The US State Department said that Secretary Anthony Blinken briefed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the ongoing diplomatic efforts to plan for the post-war period and their importance, and the two sides also discussed ways to advance the prisoner exchange agreement and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This came as part of his eighth tour in the region since October 7th.
The US State Department added that Blinken confirmed during his meeting with Netanyahu yesterday evening, Monday, in West Jerusalem, that the ceasefire proposal on the table would allow for calm along Israel’s northern borders and greater integration with the countries of the region, stressing the importance of preventing the expansion of the war.
According to a statement by US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, before the Security Council adopted a draft US resolution supporting an American proposal for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Blinken reaffirmed that the United States and world leaders support what he described as President Joe Biden’s comprehensive proposal, which leads to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all detainees, and a significant and sustained increase in humanitarian aid for distribution throughout Gaza.
The US State Department spokesman added that Blinken stressed Washington’s strict commitment to Israel’s security, including ensuring that the events of October 7, 2023 are not repeated, referring to the Al-Aqsa Flood operation.
In the context of his visit to Israel, the US State Department said that Blinken discussed with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant, during their meeting in Tel Aviv, the proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Visit Cairo
Before his arrival in Tel Aviv, Blinken said at the conclusion of his visit to Cairo yesterday, Monday, that achieving a ceasefire will open the door to a sustainable cessation of fighting in the Gaza Strip. He added that the agreement is the best way to release the detainees, as he put it.
Blinken held Hamas responsible for not reaching an agreement and said that it is the only party that has not accepted the agreement yet, according to him. The US Secretary called on the leaders of the region to put pressure on the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) to agree to the ceasefire proposal in Gaza, describing the movement as “the only obstacle” to achieving this goal.
The American official also confirmed that Washington is working to bring more aid into the besieged Strip, “regardless of whether an agreement is reached or not.”
For his part, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi stressed – during a meeting with Blinken – the importance of concerted international efforts to remove obstacles to the implementation of humanitarian aid to Gaza, the necessity of ending the war on the Strip, preventing the expansion of the conflict, and moving forward with the implementation of the two-state solution.
Al-Sisi confirmed his agreement with Blinken to intensify efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and exchange prisoners.
It is noteworthy that on May 31, US President Joe Biden announced a three-stage “Israeli” proposal that includes a ceasefire, Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, an exchange of prisoners in the Strip in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and the entry of aid into the Strip and its reconstruction.
The Hamas movement announced that it viewed the proposal “positively”, stressing that it is ready to accept any agreement that achieves its basic demands of a ceasefire in Gaza and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Strip.
American efforts
Meanwhile, the Washington Post quoted American officials as saying that the main point of contention in the prisoner exchange negotiations is Hamas’ desire for a permanent ceasefire.
According to the sources, another point of contention in the negotiations is Israel’s pledge in return to achieve complete victory, which is unachievable.
According to the sources, Hamas is pressing for more guarantees that the deal will lead to a permanent ceasefire.
On the other hand, the American network NBC quoted American officials as saying that President Biden administration officials discussed the possibility of negotiating a separate deal with Hamas, mediated by Qatar, to release 5 American detainees.
The network quoted a senior American official as saying that the Israeli operation to return 4 Israeli prisoners will make US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s efforts to reach an agreement difficult.