US Secretary of State Claims Israeli PM Netanyahu Accepts Gaza Proposal, Urges Hamas to Do the Same

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Twitter/@SecBlinken)

JAKARTA - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted a "bridging proposal" put forward by Washington to address disagreements blocking a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.

Speaking to reporters after a day of meetings with President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and a 2.5-hour meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Secretary of State Blinken urged Hamas to take the same stance.

The top US diplomat had previously said that this push might be the best and perhaps last chance to reach a deal.

"In a very constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu today, he confirmed to me that Israel accepts the bridging proposal, that he supports it," Secretary of State Blinken told reporters in Tel Aviv, as reported by Reuters on August 20.

"Now Hamas must do the same, and then the parties, with the help of mediators - the United States, Egypt and Qatar - must come together and complete the process to reach a clear understanding about how they will implement the commitments that they have made under this agreement," he continued.

Met with @IsraeliPM Netanyahu to discuss efforts to de-escalate tensions and reach an agreement on the ceasefire and hostage release deal. I reaffirmed our ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and discussed how any escalation is in no party’s interest. pic.twitter.com/nitptDlnmF

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 19, 2024

Despite US optimism and Mr Netanyahu’s office describing the meeting as positive, both Israel and Hamas have signalled that any deal will be elusive.

Talks in Doha, Qatar seeking a ceasefire and a deal on the return of hostages broke down last week without a breakthrough, but are expected to resume this week under a US proposal to bridge the gap between Israel and Hamas.

The months-long talks have been on the same page, with Israel saying the war can only end with the destruction of Hamas as a military and political force. Hamas itself has said it would accept only a permanent, not a temporary, ceasefire.

There are disagreements over Israel’s continued military presence in Gaza, particularly along the border with Egypt, the free movement of Palestinians within the territory, and the identity and number of prisoners to be released in a prisoner swap.

It is known that the latest conflict in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian armed militant group led by Hamas invaded southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping around 250 hostages according to Israeli figures.

Separately, medical sources in Gaza announced on Monday that at least 40 Palestinians were killed and 134 others were injured by Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Meanwhile, local health authorities confirmed that the number of Palestinian fatalities due to Israeli attacks since October 7 has increased to 40,139 people, while 92,743 others were injured. The majority of the victims were women and children.