Understanding of the current scenario - Blinken departs from the Middle East: The window for a truce is steadily shrinking
Despite growing doubts, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken persists in his efforts to secure a truce in Gaza. After discussions in Israel, he journeyed to Egypt and Qatar, nations also involved in covert negotiations aimed at reaching an accord between Israel and the radical Islamic group Hamas. Regrettably, Blinken concluded his excursion without any tangible accomplishments. A news outlet suggests that the envisioned agreement may falter without an immediate replacement. Meanwhile, the violent conflict along Israel's northern border amplified further. The Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel's air force once more exchanged attacks on their respective territories.
Blinken: Striving to secure Hamas' participation
Upon departing from Qatar, Blinken addressed the media, "We need to hammer out an agreement on a truce and hostage release." Time is crucial, he emphasized, as the hostages' lives become increasingly precarious each day. Moreover, daily suffering endures for the people of Gaza, Blinken included. All mediators diligently endeavor to prevent further instability in the region. Egypt and Qatar are engaged in direct communication with Hamas to reach an accord. "In the coming days, we will do everything in our power to get Hamas on board with the mediation proposal," he declared. Subsequent negotiations would center on finalizing the specifics.
Blinken had voiced his approval of Israel's acceptance of the recent U.S.-supported proposal for a truce in Gaza during a "highly productive meeting" with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in Israel. This proposal serves as a foundation for a truce, inspired by a plan proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden in May. Now, Hamas' consent is required.
Hamas: U.S. condones new Netanyahu prerequisites
However, Hamas alleged that the U.S. capitulated to Israel's conditions with the latest mediation proposal. Consequently, Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan alleged that Washington is permitting new demands from Netanyahu, as communicated to the German Press Agency. Hamas will not discuss fresh conditions, he asserted. Instead, implementation of Biden's May plan should be the primary objective. Nonetheless, Blinken maintained that the mediation proposal only incorporates "clarifications and details" concerning the original plan.
Biden's plan is divided into three phases. The first phase involves a six-week ceasefire, during which certain hostages would be released in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. The second phase would halt hostilities permanently and release the remaining hostages. In the final phase, the strategy includes Gaza Strip reconstruction.
At a gathering with hostage relatives, Netanyahu is said to have expressed uncertainty about reaching an accord with Hamas. Furthermore, the Prime Minister denied his readiness for withdrawal from the strategically significant buffer zone between Gaza and Egypt, as well as the Nizarim corridor, which divides the Gaza Strip into northern and southern segments. Nevertheless, Hamas insists upon a full Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza as a precondition for a truce. Critics accuse Netanyahu of obstructing an agreement due to his fear of the disintegration of his coalition government if he provides concessions to Hamas. After meeting with Israel, Blinken conferred with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. According to the state news service SIS, al-Sisi asserted that a Gaza truce must mark the beginning of broader recognition of a Palestinian state to ensure regional stability.
A report from the American news outlet "Politico," based on two U.S. and two Israeli sources, predicts the agreement's imminent collapse without a clear, direct alternative.
In the event of the agreement's failure, a larger escalation in the region is apprehended. Following the assassinations of two high-ranking adversaries of Israel in Tehran and Beirut nearly three weeks ago, Iran and the Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah had hinted at severe retaliation.
The Israeli military recovered six hostages' remains in the Gaza Strip overnight. The lifeless bodies of six men aged 35 to 80 were unearthed in a tunnel in Khan Yunis, the southern coastal strip. Relatives of the hostages accused the government of failing to rescue their loved ones alive.
Hamas maintains custody of 109 hostages, with 36 declared dead and 73 still alive, as reported by an Israeli government spokesperson.
"The days are passing, and we're losing more hostages. We must strike a deal. We must. Now," Israeli opposition leader Jair Lapid posted on the X platform.
Continued attacks and fighting in the Gaza Strip persist. In Israel's attack on a school building in the city of Gaza, ten people were reportedly killed. Palestinian media sources claim that the building housed displaced people. The Israeli army declared that a Hamas command center was concealed on the site, which was the target of the attack.
In the southern Gaza Strip, intense skirmishes between Israeli forces and militant Palestinian fighters continued. According to the Israeli military, around 40 militants were eliminated in close combat and aerial strikes in the Rafah area. The military wing of Hamas claimed that its fighters had fired grenades at an Israeli tank and soldiers in a building in the area.
The Gaza conflict was triggered by a terrorist assault orchestrated by Hamas and other extremists in the Gaza Strip on southern Israel on October 7. Approximately 1,200 individuals were slain, and over 250 were seized by Hamas and taken to Gaza. According to the health authority controlled by Hamas, 40,173 individuals have since perished in the besieged coastal region.
New rocket salvos from Lebanon were directed at Israel.
From Lebanon, Israeli military sources suggest that numerous rockets were launched towards northern Israel yet again. The Hezbollah group, backed by Iran, declared that they conducted an "intense rocket assault" on Israeli military installations. They claimed this retaliation was in reaction to Israeli strikes on Monday in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, which left at least eight people injured. The army reportedly hit Hezbollah ammunition storage sites.
As per Lebanese reports, Israeli air strikes allegedly hit the Bekaa Valley once more during the night. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported one fatality and sixteen injuries. Previously, Lebanese reports suggested four fatalities and two injuries due to an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, three of whom were Hezbollah members, according to Lebanese security sources.
There's apprehension that this situation may spiral out of control and lead to a bigger conflict. Lieutenant General Joav Galant, the Israeli Defense Minister, mentioned that the "emphasis" is slowly moving from the Gaza Strip towards the northern border.
Blinken's Perspective: The Urgency of Peace
Recognizing the pressing nature of the situation, Blinken stated, "Given the deteriorating conditions and the escalating conflict, it is imperative that we make significant progress towards a truce." He added, "The longer we wait, the harder it will be to halt the violence and bring relief to the people of Gaza."
Hamas' Position: No Compromise on Core Demands
In response to Blinken's statements, Hamas spokesperson, Sami Abu Zuhri, firmly declared, "Hamas will not compromise on its core demands, which include the complete lifting of the blockade on Gaza and a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories." He further stressed, "Any agreement that fails to address these fundamental issues is not acceptable to us."
