Israel ready to compromise with Hamas to safe deal
Israel is prepared to compromise with Hamas to secure a deal to end the Gaza conflict, the US Secretary of State indicated last night.
Antony Blinken provided a positive update following a two-and-a-half hour meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
He also called on Hamas to agree to the same ‘bridging proposal’ which would bring about a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages.
On his ninth visit to the region since the Hamas terror attacks of October 7, the senior diplomat also warned the current proposal could represent a ‘last chance’ for peace.
Mr Blinken said last night: ‘In a very constructive meeting, prime minister Netanyahu confirmed to me that Israel supports the bridging proposal. The next important step is for Hamas to say “yes”.’
Antony Blinken (left) provided a positive update following a two-and-a-half hour meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (right)
Smoke and flames rise following an Israeli strike on a residential building, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hama
Families of hostages who were kidnaped by Hamas on Oct 7 deadly attack and supporters hold signs and US flags during a demonstration outside a press event by US secretary of state Antony Blinken
The latest proposal has been brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.
The most sensitive aspect of it is who controls two strategic corridors inside Gaza.
Hamas has previously indicated any agreement which gave Israel control of these corridors was a ‘non-starter’.
Similarly, Israel remains opposed to Hamas being granted autonomy, as it fears the terror group will use the corridors to smuggle military equipment into Gaza.
To prevent this, Israel has suggested a number of its troops should be permitted to remain along the Gaza-Egypt border following any ceasefire.
For his part, Mr Netanyahu said the talks with Mr Blinken had been ‘positive’ and ‘conducted in a good spirit’.
The ten-month conflict is understood to have caused the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including thousands of women and children.
It has also led to a humanitarian crisis in the occupied territories, with Palestinian families desperately short of basic provisions for life such as shelter, food and medicines.
The Hamas atrocities of October 7 killed more than 1,100 Israelis while 250 were abducted. Of these, 110 are still believed to be in Gaza.
The ten-month conflict is understood to have caused the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including thousands of women and children (pictured: A man carries the lifeless body of a Palestinian girl to Al-Ahli Arab Hospital after an Israeli shelling of a group of civilians)
Israel is also braced for more suicide bombings by Hamas following a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv on Sunday (pictured)
However, there are fears a third of these captives may be dead. Today, Mr Blinken is expected to travel to Egypt for further talks to end the fighting.
The evolving proposal is said to break down into three stages, with a staggered release of hostages in return for a withdrawal of Israeli troops and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners.
In its most recent statement on the negotiations, on Sunday Hamas accused Mr Netanyahu of continually setting obstacles to a deal by demanding new conditions.
Israel is also braced for more suicide bombings by Hamas following a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv on Sunday. Hamas confirmed there had been a ‘martyrdom operation’.
Dozens of civilians were praying near where the explosion took place but there were no fatalities. One person was injured.
Hamas warned there will be more such operations as long as the Israeli bombardment of Gaza continues, Sunday’s attack was the first since 2016.
