On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas to promptly accept relevant proposals from Israel for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict and the release of Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian radical group.
Hamas negotiators are expected to meet with mediators from Qatar and Egypt in Cairo on Monday to respond to Israel’s phased ceasefire proposal presented over the weekend.
Antony Blinken, speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, stated, “Hamas has received a very, very generous proposal from Israel.”
“The only obstacle between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They need to make a decision, and they need to make it quickly,” he said. “I hope they can make the right decision.”
According to reports from Reuters, a source familiar with the negotiations indicated that Israel’s proposal includes an agreement to release less than 40 of the believed 130 hostages still held in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.
The second phase of the ceasefire will involve a “sustained calm period” as a concession in response to Hamas’ demand for a permanent ceasefire.
Israel’s statistics show that Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7, resulting in 253 hostages being taken and approximately 1,200 Israelis dying in the attack.
Gaza health authorities report that Israel retaliated by imposing a full blockade on Hamas in Gaza, carrying out both aerial and ground attacks that led to around 34,500 Palestinian casualties and sparked a humanitarian crisis.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron also attended the World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh and described Israel’s proposal as “very generous.”
“I hope Hamas accepts this agreement,” Cameron stated. “Frankly, all the pressure and focus from around the world should be on them today, telling them to ‘accept this agreement.'”
Over a million displaced residents of Gaza have flooded into the southern city of Rafah to escape Israeli bombings. Israel has indicated that the last group of Hamas militants is hiding there and will soon be targeted for removal.
Apart from Blinken and Cameron, foreign ministers from France, Jordan, and Egypt also participated in the Riyadh meeting. This marks part of the diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in Gaza.
Blinken arrived in Riyadh on Monday, beginning his seventh trip to the Middle East since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict. He reiterated that without a plan to ensure the safety of civilians, major foreign supporters and weapons suppliers to Israel, including the US, cannot endorse Israel’s ground offensive in Rafah.
Blinken also mentioned that over the past few months, the US and Saudi Arabia have been “working closely” towards a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, which was disrupted by the Gaza conflict.
He expressed, “To advance normalization, two things are needed: a quiet period in Gaza and a viable path to establishing a Palestinian state.”
As part of the normalization process, Arab countries are pushing for Israel to accept the establishment of a Palestinian state on the land seized during the 1967 Middle East War. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected this proposal.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah also stated on Monday that Washington and Riyadh are “very, very close” to reaching an agreement on normalization.
A senior US State Department official revealed to Reuters that Blinken plans to convene a broader meeting with counterparts from five Arab countries, including Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan, to discuss governance issues in Gaza after the Israel-Hamas conflict ends.
Blinken is also expected to gather Arab and European countries to discuss how Europe can assist in rebuilding Gaza post-Israel-Hamas conflict.