Blinken: Now is 'maybe the last' chance for Gaza cease-fire agreement
Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Monday from Israel that now could be the last opportunity to reach a cease-fire and hostage release agreement in the Israel-Hamas war after 10 months of violence in Gaza.
“This is a decisive moment — probably the best, maybe the last, opportunity to get the hostages home, to get a cease-fire and to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security,” Blinken said during talks with Israel President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv.
Blinken is in the Middle East for his ninth trip to the region since the conflict began in October, hoping to hammer out a long-awaited cease-fire deal.
"It is time for it to get done. It’s also time to make sure that no one takes any steps that could derail this process," he said, potentially a reference to Iran, which has repeatedly threatened to retaliate against Israel for the apparent assassinations of two Hamas leaders earlier this month.
"So, we’re working to make sure that there is no escalation, that there are no provocations, that there are no actions that in any way could move us away from getting this deal over the line or, for that matter, escalating the conflict to other places and to greater intensity," Blinken continued.
Blinken appeared optimistic a deal was in sight, though Hamas has suggested it is dissatisfied with the latest proposal, while Israel has maintained there are some parts it is unwilling to compromise on, The Associated Press reported.
Mediators are expected to meet again this week in Cairo to secure a deal. Blinken will head to Egypt on Tuesday following his trip in Israel, where he also met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and was expected to meet with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant later in the day.
The war has raged since Oct. 7, when Hamas launched a surprise incursion into Israel, killing about 1,200 people. Hamas, designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. government, also kidnapped about 250 people, bringing them to Gaza as hostages.
About 105 hostages were released in a brief November truce, and Israel claims 111 hostages have not been released, including the bodies of 39 people. The hostages include 15 women and two children under the age of 5, the AP reported.
More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's counteroffensive in Gaza, and hundreds of thousands of civilians have been forced out of their Gaza homes.
The three mediator countries behind the cease-fire proposal — the United States, Qatar and Egypt — said last week there was progress on the deal, which would require the halt in most military operations in Gaza and release some Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails in exchange for the release of hostages, the news wire said.
Netanyahu, in a Cabinet meeting before Blinken's arrival Sunday, said there are aspects of the deal where Israel can be flexible but others where it will remain firm.
"However, I would like to emphasize: We are conducting negotiations and not a scenario in which we just give and give," he said. "Therefore, alongside the major efforts we are making to return our hostages, we stand on the principles that we have determined, which are vital for the security of Israel."
Hamas, meanwhile, accused Israel of pushing new demands that it keeps a military presence along the Gaza-Egypt border to prevent arms smuggling and along a line bisecting the territory so it can search Palestinians returning to their homes in the north, the AP reported. Israel said these are not new demands, but clarifications on a previous proposal.
Blinken reiterated Monday that both sides should use the talks to come to an agreement.
"It is time for everyone to get to yes and to not look for any excuses to say no," he said.
The Associated Press contributed.