2024-02-16 03:08:35
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said today that it is possible to reach a deal to release the hostages held by Hamas, but there are still “very difficult” issues to be resolved, Reuters reported.
Talks involving the intelligence chiefs of the United States, Egypt, Israel and Qatar on a deal that would bring a pause in Israel’s four-month-old war on the Gaza Strip ended on Tuesday without a breakthrough.
Asked whether it was possible to reach an agreement to end hostilities before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on March 10, Blinken said Hamas’ earlier response to a potential deal contained “definitely unenforceable conditions” but was offered the possibility of working on an agreement.
“With our partners from Qatar, from Egypt and Israel, we are now working on this issue, and very intensively, to try to reach an agreement, and I think that this is possible,” the American diplomat said at a press conference during a visit to Albania, reported BTA.
“There are some very, very difficult issues that need to be resolved. But we are determined to do everything we can to make progress and see if we can reach an agreement,” Blinken added.
According to a familiar source, CIA Director William Burns was in Israel today for further talks.