The U.S. stands firm on a truce agreement: The Secretary of State underscores the importance of dialogue in the Middle East.
The United States Secretary of State, Blinken, is set to meet with Israeli leaders in Tel Aviv on Monday, aiming to put an end to the conflicts and avoid further escalations. Following that, Blinken will head to Egypt on Tuesday to discuss matters with their government officials. As per U.S. State Department spokesperson, Vedant Patel, negotiations in Cairo later this week will resume discussions on a ceasefire and hostage release which were halted in Doha last Friday.
The U.S., alongside Egypt and Qatar, presented a new compromise proposal to Israel and Hamas a few days ago. The mediators stated that this proposal bridges the "remaining gaps". Israeli negotiators expressed optimism after the first round of talks, suggesting that intense pressure from the U.S. and mediators might persuade Hamas to abandon its opposition to the U.S. proposal. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu urged for continued pressure on the "stubborn" Hamas during complex negotiations on Sunday.
The talks in Doha were based on a multi-stage plan for a ceasefire proposed by U.S. President Biden at the end of May. Biden noted over the weekend that the parties are closer to an agreement than ever before. However, Hamas, who did not participate in the Doha talks, dismissed reports of an impending deal as a "fallacy", rather claiming it's a case of "imposing the American dictate".
On Sunday, Hamas accused Netanyahu of obstructing the investigators, holding him accountable for the hostages' lives. Thousands of people protested in various Israeli cities on Saturday evening, demanding an agreement for hostage release in Gaza Strip. Mor Korngold, brother of hostage Tal Schoham, stated at a rally in Tel Aviv, "we all know that there's a real chance for an agreement".
Tensions in the region have escalated recently. Both Iran and Hezbollah, supported by Iran, have threatened Israel with retaliation since the assassinations of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah military chief Fuad Shukr in Beirut at the end of July. Both Hamas and Iran blame Israel for the attacks.
The conflict in Gaza Strip began with Hamas' large-scale attack on Israel on October 7. Over 1,198 people were reportedly killed and 251 people were kidnapped in Gaza Strip, according to Israeli reports. Since then, Israel has launched extensive military operations in Gaza Strip. For nearly 40,100 people, deaths have been reported, as per figures from the Hamas-controlled health ministry, though they're unverifiable.
Fighting continued over the weekend in both Gaza Strip and the Israeli-Lebanese border area. Hamas' Civil Defense Authority in Gaza City attributed an attack that killed 15 family members to Israel. Israel claimed to have targeted rocket launchers of Islamic groups in the area.
In southern Lebanon, according to reports, ten people, including a woman and her two children, were killed in Nabatijeh during a nighttime Israeli airstrike. The Israeli army stated that it had targeted "a Hezbollah weapons depot" in the region. Three UN peacekeepers from the UNIFIL force were injured in an explosion near the border village of Yarine, according to UN reports.
Additional violence was reported in the West Bank. In Kedumim Israeli settlement, a man was attacked by a "terrorist", resulting in his death at a hospital. The location of the attack is nearby a Palestinian village that was attacked by extremist Jewish settlers on Thursday, leading to one death.
The European Union expresses concern over the escalating tensions in the Middle East and calls for an immediate ceasefire. The European Union, through its foreign policy chief, has been actively engaging in diplomatic efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.
