US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called on the Palestinian armed group Hamas to quickly accept the cease-fire offer made by Israel. He made such a call at a meeting of the World Economic Forum in Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday (April 29). The resolution calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages held by Palestinian resistance groups. British news agency Reuters reported this news.
Israel sent a cease-fire response to Hamas over the weekend. Hamas negotiators were expected to meet with Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Monday to respond to that response.
“Hamas has an extraordinary and generous offer from Israel,” Blinken told a meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.
He said, ‘Hamas is the only obstacle standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire. They have to make a decision and make it quickly.’
Blinken also expressed hope that Hamas will make the right decision.
A source familiar with the negotiations said the proposal calls for the release of 40 of the roughly 130 hostages held by resistance fighters in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
Besides, the second phase of the ceasefire calls for a ‘sustainable pause’ in Gaza. The proposal is seen as Israel’s compromise response to Hamas’ demands for a permanent ceasefire.
Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7. According to Israeli data, 1,200 Israelis were killed in that attack. Armed fighters took 253 hostages to Gaza.
In response to this attack, Israel launched a counter-attack on Gaza on the same day. According to Gaza health authorities, Israeli air and ground attacks have killed around 34,500 Palestinians so far.
#Blinken #calls #Hamas #accept #Israels #ceasefire #offer
