Israel accepts ceasefire proposal; Hamas awaited

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in Tel Aviv that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted the latest proposed ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and urged Hamas to do the same.

Blinken said he had a “very constructive meeting” with Netanyahuwho confirmed that “Israel accepts the transition proposal” put forward by the United States last week in the negotiations in Doha.

The Secretary of State, who arrived in Israel the day before to boost international diplomatic efforts to seal an agreement, held meetings today with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Netanyahu, to whom he insisted that this is probably the last opportunity to close an agreement after months of failed attempts.

“The next step is for Hamas to say yes,” warned Blinken, although the Islamist group, which did not attend the last round of negotiations in Doha, criticised the latest proposal last night when it was transmitted to them by the mediators, considering that it bows to Israel’s demands.

However, the Islamist group has so far expressed its opposition.

“Without a complete ceasefire, we will not accept any agreement,” was the first response given to the Arab media by Taher Al-Nono, the press adviser to the head of the Hamas Political Bureau. shortly after learning of Israel’s ‘yes’ to the truce proposal announced on Monday by the Secretary of State.