United States and Britain Urge Hamas to Accept Israel's Ceasefire Proposal

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken while attending a meeting with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and PLO. (Twitter/@SecBlinken)

JAKARTA - The United States and British Foreign Ministers have urged the Palestinian militant group Hamas to accept Israel's proposal regarding a ceasefire to the conflict in Gaza and the release of hostages.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday urged Hamas to immediately accept Israel's proposal regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant group.

"Hamas previously had an extraordinary, extraordinarily generous proposal from the Israeli side," Blinken said at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, reported by Reuters, April 30.

"The only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to make a decision and they have to make a decision quickly," he continued.

"I hope they will make the right decision," hoped Minister of Foreign Affairs Blinken.

Hamas negotiators are expected to meet with Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Monday to present a response to a phased ceasefire proposal put forward by Israel at the weekend.

Quoting The Times of Israel, the Hamas delegation has left Cairo and will reportedly return with a response to the proposed ceasefire and hostage release.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who is also in Riyadh to attend the WEF meeting, also described Israel's proposal as a "generous" measure.

This includes a 40-day cessation of fighting and the possible release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages, he told an audience at the WEF.

"I hope Hamas really accepts this deal and frankly, all the pressure in the world and all the eyes in the world should be on them today saying 'take that deal'," said Foreign Minister Cameron.

Foreign Minister Cameron is one of several foreign ministers in Riyadh, including from the US, France, Jordan, and Egypt, as part of diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza war.

A source familiar with the talks said Israel's proposal would require an agreement to free fewer than 40 of the roughly 130 hostages believed to still be held in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.

The second phase of the ceasefire would consist of a "sustained period of calm" – an Israeli compromise response to Hamas's demand for a permanent ceasefire.

Separately, a French diplomatic source said there was a similar number of hostages released in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, but there were still obstacles to the long-term nature of the ceasefire.

"We are not far from a deal, but this is not the first time," the source said.

It is known that 253 hostages were captured in the Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7 which killed around 1,200 Israelis, according to Israeli estimates.