2024-08-17 12:29:52
The White House has called on the Hamas leadership to send negotiators to a summit on Thursday with international mediators including the United States to restart talks on a hostage-release deal and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. With tensions rising in the region over threats from Iran and Hezbollah, Washington is pressing for a swift deal to end the war and reduce the risk of escalation.
Amid these developments, it was announced that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the Middle East on Tuesday. According to sources, Blinken plans to visit Israel, Qatar and Egypt, which play a key role in the ongoing talks. However, Hamas’ decision not to send representatives to the summit has raised concerns in the White House. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Monday that the meeting remains scheduled and expressed hope that the talks will continue despite Hamas’ statements.
The US has stressed that it is now especially important for Hamas to demonstrate its concern for the people of Gaza by engaging in negotiations and agreeing to a ceasefire. Washington also continues to pressure Israel and its allies to defend Israel and de-escalate the conflict.
In response to Hamas’ decision not to attend the summit, U.S. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the U.S. expected talks to continue and called on all sides to return to the negotiating table. At the same time, fears in Israel and its allies of possible attacks by Iran and Hezbollah remain, adding to the urgency for a swift agreement.
Hamas, in turn, justifies its decision, saying that additional rounds of talks will only prolong the war and give Israel time to strengthen its position. Representatives of the organization called on the mediators to present a plan for implementing the previously reached agreements, rather than enter into new negotiations.
Meanwhile, both sides, with the support of mediators, are working to resolve key issues such as the status of the Philadelphi Axis route, the Rafah crossing, troop movements and the terms of the ceasefire. Israel insists on the release of the 33 hostages, while Hamas demands flexibility in choosing which Palestinian prisoners to release. These issues must be resolved before the summit to ensure that the talks are productive and that an agreement can be reached as soon as possible.
Earlier, Cursor wrote that Hamas terrorists answered whether they would participate in a new round of hostage negotiations.