US calls on Hamas to accept Israel's ceasefire proposal

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Hamas to quickly accept Tel Aviv's proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and release Israeli hostages.

"Hamas is facing an extremely, extremely generous offer from Israel," Secretary of State Blinken said on April 29 at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. "The only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide and they have to decide quickly. I hope they make the right decision."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a ministerial meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on April 29. Photo: AFP

Hamas negotiators are scheduled to meet Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Monday to respond to Israel's proposal for a phased ceasefire over the weekend.

In its proposal, Tel Aviv wants Hamas to release up to 40 of the 130 hostages believed still held in Gaza in exchange for the freedom of Palestinians jailed in Israel, a source familiar with the matter said.

The second phase of the ceasefire agreement will aim for a “prolonged period of stability”, Israel’s response to Hamas’s demand for a permanent ceasefire.

According to Israeli statistics, a total of 253 hostages were taken after Hamas raided the south of the country on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Israel has retaliated with a large-scale offensive on Gaza that has so far killed some 34,500 Palestinians, according to the region's health authority.

Palestinians are suffering severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine in a humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's offensive.

In Saudi Arabia, Secretary of State Blinken also reiterated that the US cannot support an Israeli ground attack on Rafah if Tel Aviv does not have a plan to ensure the safety of civilians.

More than a million displaced Gazans are crammed into Rafah, the southernmost city in the enclave, to take refuge from Israeli bombardment. Tel Aviv has said it will soon launch an offensive on Rafah to "root out" Hamas militants it says are hiding among the civilian population.

Vu Hoang (According to Reuters )

Source link