US pushes for ceasefire in Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Photo: AFP)

In a statement on June 12, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed that he will continue to promote the prospect of signing a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The diplomat believes that although not all of Hamas' demands will be met, Washington and the mediators will make efforts to narrow the remaining gaps between Palestine and Israel.

Referring to Hamas' demands, the US diplomat said that "some changes are possible while others are not". Therefore, in the coming days, the parties must urgently consider whether these problems can be overcome.

“We are determined to try to bridge the gaps. And I believe those gaps can be bridged,” Blinken said. According to the US Secretary of State, Hamas must eventually make a decision because the longer the current situation lasts, the more people will become victims of the conflict.

According to a source familiar with the negotiations, late on June 11, Hamas proposed several amendments regarding the duration of the ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani recently acknowledged that whether the ceasefire is temporary or permanent is a key difference between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli army tanks in the area bordering Gaza, June 12, 2024. (Photo: AP)

In a statement on the same day, Mr. Blinken declined to elaborate on Hamas’ demands. However, the US diplomat once again emphasized Israel’s role in the ceasefire, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not officially expressed his support for the deal. Mr. Netanyahu’s far-right allies have rejected the proposal and warned that they would overthrow the government if the Israeli leader ends the war without eliminating Hamas. But Mr. Netanyahu is also under increasing pressure to accept a deal to return the hostages. Thousands of Israelis, including the families of the hostages, have joined protests in support of the US-backed plan.

Mr Blinken, who is on his eighth trip to the region since the Gaza conflict began, said the agreement being considered was “roughly similar” to the one Hamas proposed on May 6. The UN Security Council voted overwhelmingly in favour of the plan on June 10.

On May 31, US President J. Biden announced a "roadmap" to a comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of hostages. The proposal includes three phases, starting with a "full and comprehensive" ceasefire lasting six weeks. The ceasefire could then be extended if negotiators need more time to find a lasting agreement. In the second phase, Hamas and Israel would negotiate terms for a permanent end to hostilities. The third phase would include a major reconstruction plan for Gaza.

However, speaking on Al-Araby TV on June 12, Osama Hamdan - a Hamas official - denied that the movement had come up with new ideas for the US proposal to establish a ceasefire and exchange hostages in Gaza./.

Source: https://dangcongsan.vn/the-gioi/tin-tuc/my-thuc-day-thoa-thuan-ngung-ban-o-gaza-667168.html