2024-08-18 17:33:38
Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday asked the international community to pressure Hamas rather than Israel to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. He is due to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday, who arrived in Tel Aviv on Sunday afternoon.
Mr Blinken intends to push for a deal to end more than ten months of disastrous conflict, and to extend it after threats of attack by Iran and its allies against Israel. This is his ninth visit to Israel since the start of the Gaza war.
He will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday morning and will also speak with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israeli President Isaac Herzog. According to US officials, Mr. Blinken will travel to Cairo on Tuesday.
Although major differences remain between Israel and Hamas over a ceasefire, Mr Netanyahu called on Sunday to “lead the pressure on Hamas”, and “not to go towards the Israeli government”, denying “firm rejection ” for the Palestinian Islamic movement. conclude an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“Barriers can be overcome”
“There are things on which we can be flexible and other things on which we cannot,” said the Israeli leader, who is under growing pressure internationally and in his country to end the war in Gaza, prompted by an attack Hamas is unprecedented. Israel on October 7.
“This is why, in addition to the significant efforts to return our hostage, we remain firm on the principles (…) necessary for the security of Israel,” he said.
“The feeling (…) is that the various blocking points that existed before can be overcome” said an American official who was with Mr. Blinken.
The United States, which has just approved a $20 billion arms sale to its Israeli ally, submitted a new compromise proposal on Friday after two days of talks in Doha between American, Qatari and Qatari mediators with Israel. Israeli negotiators said they were “moderately optimistic” at the end of talks set to resume next week in Cairo.
But Hamas, which did not take part in the negotiations, accused Israel of adding “new conditions”, including keeping its troops on Gaza’s border with Egypt and a “veto right” over Palestinian prisoners who are likely to be executed. exchange them for hostages. taking place in Gaza.
“Conditions of the occupier”
“The new American proposal accepts the conditions of the occupier (Israel) and does not move towards an agreement,” a Hamas official told AFP on condition of anonymity. The Palestinian movement refuses to negotiate further and wants the plan announced by American President Joe Biden to be implemented at the end of May.
This plan provides in the first phase for a six-week ceasefire along with the withdrawal of Israel from the densely populated areas of Gaza and the release of the hostages kidnapped on 7 October. The second step in particular includes the complete withdrawal of Israel from Gaza.
It is an “illusion” to say that a deal is “close”, as Joe Biden said on Friday, Hamas executive Sami Abou Zohri said.
Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly said he wants to continue the war until the destruction of Hamas, in power in Gaza since 2007 and considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and the European Union.
A humanitarian disaster
For Washington, a cease-fire in Gaza would help to avoid an attack by Iran and its allies against Israel, after their threats of revenge for the assassination, attributed to Israel, of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, and an attack the military leader. Lebanese Hezbollah, Fouad Chokr, was killed the day before in an Israeli strike near Beirut.
Along with diplomatic efforts, the Israeli army maintains military pressure on Hamas in Gaza and continues its bombing and ground offensive there.
On Sunday, the Gaza Civil Defense reported 11 deaths in strikes in Jabalia (north) and Deir al-Balah (center). According to AFPTV, Palestinians began to fleea makeshift camp in the Khan Younes region, on foot, by car, in pickups or carts, while Israeli tanks took up positions on a nearby hill.
There is a humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip due to the Israeli attacks. The Palestinian territory is devastated and threatened by famine according to the UN. It is “submerged” under a mountain of waste and rubble, according to the NGO PAX promoting peace in the Netherlands.
In the West Bank, an Israeli was attacked in a Jewish settlement on Sunday and lost his life.
1,198 people were killed on the Israeli side because of the Hamas attack on October 7 in southern Israel and 111 are still being held hostage. On the Palestinian side, 40,099 people lost their lives, according to the Hamas Health Ministry.
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