Blinken affirms US persistence in facilitating an accord between Israel and Hamas.
“Hamas views some requirements in the proposed peace deal as doable while others are not, says Blinken. 'As time goes on, the tragedy will only worsen,' he cautioned. 'The negotiations need to reach a close.'”
Hamas has forwarded its reaction to the proposal handed out by U.S. President Joe Biden in late May for a ceasefire to the intermediaries, Qatar, and Egypt. The deal entails, among other things, removal of the Israeli military from heavily populated zones in the Gaza Strip and exchange of the hostages in Hamas' custody for Palestinian prisoners.
The United States, Egypt, and Qatar have endeavored to hash out a contract between Israel and Hamas for several months without promising results.
The battle in Gaza started on October 7 when Hamas executed an unforeseen assault on Israel. As per Israeli figures, 1194 people lost their lives and 251 people got caught as hostages in the Gaza Strip. 116 hostages remain under Hamas captivity at the moment, with 41 of them reported dead.
In response, Israel began a relentless military operation in the Gaza Strip. According to Hamas-controlled health ministry, which cannot be verified, more than 37,000 individuals have been killed by now.
