AMMAN: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Qatar on Wednesday for crucial talks after Hamas responded to a US-led proposal for a ceasefire in war-torn Gaza.
During his four-country Middle East tour, Blinken aims to persuade Hamas to accept the truce proposal. He will meet with Qatar’s top leadership, which has been relaying messages to the Palestinian group.
Hamas, in response to President Joe Biden’s plan outlined on May 31, proposed amendments late Tuesday. These include a specific ceasefire timeline and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
The Biden plan calls for an Israeli withdrawal from “major population centers” and an initial six-week ceasefire, which would be extended as negotiators work toward a permanent agreement.
The White House stated on Tuesday that the United States is currently “evaluating” Hamas’s reply.
US officials had anticipated that Hamas would seek some changes rather than accepting the entire deal immediately. They hope to find common ground to bridge differences with Israel.
President Biden is keen to end the conflict, which has taken a heavy toll on civilians and strained his Democratic Party base ahead of closely contested elections.
In Israel on Tuesday, Blinken confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu committed to the plan, although the Israeli government, which includes far-right members, has not yet formally endorsed it.
Blinken also directly urged Hamas’s elusive Gaza-based leader, Yahya Sinwar, to consider the deal.
“Are they prioritizing the safety of one individual—perhaps buried ten stories underground somewhere in Gaza—while the people he claims to represent continue to suffer in the crossfire of his own making?” Blinken asked reporters in Tel Aviv.
The Israeli army’s retaliatory actions in Gaza have resulted in at least 37,164 deaths, with the majority being civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory.
In Doha, Blinken will meet both the emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who also serves as the wealthy kingdom’s top diplomat, according to the State Department.
Later today, Blinken will travel to Italy to join President Biden at the Group of Seven (G7) summit of major industrial democracies.
