2024-04-29 01:39:51
The US, along with other heads of state and government, is calling on Hamas representatives to accept a hostage deal. The goal: peace in the region.
Together with 17 other countries, the USA called in a statement for the adoption of a plan to free the Hamas hostages that it said had been prepared for months. According to t-online information, the core of the plan is a deal that will bring about an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. In return, women, the elderly, the sick and the wounded should be released.
A White House National Security Council official described the proposed deal as a roadmap toward an “end to the crisis” in Gaza. “There is an agreement on the table that would lead to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” the official said. It has been worked out down to the smallest detail. But Hamas refused. “It’s really up to one man to take the deal,” the official said. Apparently one of Hamas’ leaders, Yahya Sinwar, personally said “no.”
There are some signs that there could be a way to reach an agreement. But they don’t want to talk about confidence yet, said the official at the National Security Council.
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In order to increase the pressure on the terrorists, the 18 heads of state and government, including Germany, are now publicly calling in a statement for the “immediate release of all Hamas hostages after more than 200 days.” “We emphasize that the deal on the table would bring an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, enabling necessary humanitarian assistance.” The residents of Gaza could also return to the north of the Gaza Strip without any obstacles.
The US calls on Hamas to “release the hostages (…) so that together we can focus on bringing peace and stability to the region.” Chancellor Olaf Scholz also shared the statement on X, writing: “It’s also about our own citizens.”
Neither Israel nor Hamas have yet agreed to the deal. According to the Reuters news agency, a high-ranking Hamas official said that Hamas would not allow itself to be influenced by US pressure on the hostage issue.
In addition to Germany, the heads of state of Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand and the United Kingdom – all countries – also join the USA statement where citizens are being held captive by Hamas.
According to the White House, it was not easy to put together the joint statement. The background is, among other things, different interests in the region. Brazil’s President Luiz Lula da Silva in particular has recently repeatedly expressed criticism, especially of Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip.