Blinken announces Israel's consent to conditions for Gaza withdrawal in a 'connecting offer,' despite supposed remarks from Netanyahu.
Blinken mentioned during his talk to journalists before leaving Qatar that Israel has agreed to the timeline and areas of IDF withdrawal from Gaza, as per the agreement's clear terms.
In response to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu informed a group of families affected by terrorism and hostage situations that Israel would not leave the Philadelphi corridor near the Egypt-Gaza border or the Netzarim corridor dividing Gaza, despite any pressure. These regions are siginificant for military and political reasons, according to Netanyahu.
The US authorities have remained silent about the specifics of the proposal they presented last week. The ceasefire deal has three stages and eventually leads to the complete withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza. However, Israeli officials have highlighted the importance of addressing the smuggling issue from the Egypt-Gaza border.
Two key challenges in the ceasefire negotiations are the location of troops in the Philadelphi corridor and the question of Palestinian return to the north. Hamas has sustained that the IDF should completely withdraw from Gaza, and Palestinians must be allowed to return home.
Blinken claimed that Netanyahu explicitly shared with him in their meeting that Israel was on board with the proposal for withdrawal, including the specific plan.
A high-ranking US administration official dismissed Netanyahu's comments on not withdrawing, calling them "extreme" statements that are detrimental to the reaching of a ceasefire agreement.
Blinken was in Qatar concluding a brief visit to the region, making what he described as a final effort to get all parties to consent to a ceasefire agreement that would halt the conflict in Gaza and release Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Blinken stated Monday in Israel that the ultimate responsibility lies with Hamas to accept the latest proposal to resolve the outstanding issues.
After high-level meetings in Doha last week, ongoing talks aimed at finalizing a prospective agreement between Hamas and Israel have been underway with specialists from both sides. The lead negotiators, including CIA Director Bill Burns, are expected to reconvene in Cairo later in the week or over the weekend.
Despite the urgency expressed by the US officials for an agreement, they have started to tone down the likelihood of a swift, comprehensive agreement being reached.
Tuesday, Blinken pointed out that even if a bridging agreement is reached by Hamas and Israel, "we also have to complete the detailed implementation agreements" and emphasized the importance of flexibility.
Blinken mentioned that as soon as Hamas consents to the proposal, it will be crucial for everyone to bring flexibility to the table to ensure the agreement on implementation is achieved.
Blinken referred back to the Tokyo Principles, which state the US will not accept "any long-term occupation of Gaza by Israel."
Blinken concluded his regional trip Tuesday with visits to Egypt and Qatar. A senior administration official claimed that the meetings with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, and intel chief Abbas Kamel were productive. The scheduled meeting with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in Doha Tuesday night was canceled due to the Qatari leader's ill health. Blinken met instead with Minister of State Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi. Monday, Blinken met in Israel with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and President Isaac Herzog.
Tuesday, Hamas issued a statement criticizing Blinken and President Biden for misrepresenting its stance on the ceasefire agreement. The statement also accused Netanyahu of obstructing the negotiations and reiterated Hamas's successful cooperation in past rounds.
A senior administration official revealed Tuesday that Hamas had not yet provided a formal response to the bridging proposal, urging a prompt response from Hamas, as requested by Egypt.
The official also highlighted that even if both parties agree to the bridging proposal, there will still be additional discussions on specific details and technical and implementation commitments.
"We fully expect the conversations to continue, should Hamas also accept this bridging proposal, and there will be further discussions on the more specific details," they said.
Still, Blinken acknowledged Tuesday that "there is a sense of urgency right now," stressing that "unforeseen events may make things even more difficult, if not impossible."
Blinken described Monday as "probably the best, perhaps the last" opportunity to bring home the hostages, achieve a ceasefire, and put everyone on a path to lasting peace and security.
Despite Netanyahu's remarks about maintaining Israel's presence in certain Gaza corridors, Blinken believes that politics necessitates a comprehensive withdrawal from Gaza, aligning with the ceasefire deal's terms. The ceasefire negotiations are complex, with several contentious issues, such as troop locations and Palestinian return, yet Blinken emphasizes the need for flexibility to ensure a successful agreement.
