US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived Sunday evening for talks in Israel on the latest hostage release and ceasefire deal under discussion.
The Secretary is scheduled to meet Monday at 11 am with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, then with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and finally with President Isaac Herzog before traveling for additional talks Tuesday in Cairo.
Blinken intends to “continue intensive diplomatic efforts to conclude the agreement for a ceasefire and release of hostages and detainees through the bridging proposal presented today by the United States, with support from Egypt and Qatar,” the State Department said in a statement.
“This proposal would achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, secure the release of all hostages, ensure humanitarian assistance is distributed throughout Gaza, and create the conditions for broader regional stability,” the statement read.
“Secretary Blinken will underscore the critical need for all parties in the region to avoid escalation or any other actions that could undermine the ability to finalize an agreement,” the statement concluded.
It’s not clear how any agreement can be concluded and carried out without the agreement and participation of Hamas, in whose dungeons the hostages remain captive. On top of that problem, Netanyahu’s office cited “serial leakers” who he said are just adding to the difficulties.
“There are serial leakers who are harming the ability to advance a deal,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement Sunday night.
“They claimed for months that Hamas would never agree to give in on ending the war as a condition for a deal, and proposed giving in to Hamas’s demand. They were wrong then – and they are also wrong today. The Prime Minister has strongly insisted on this fundamental demand, which is vital to achieving the goals of the war, and Hamas changed its position,” the PMO emphasized.
“Today as well, the Prime Minister insists that we remain in the Philadelphi Corridor in order to prevent terrorist elements from rearming. The Prime Minister will continue to work on advancing a deal that will maximize the number of living hostages and which will enable the achieving of all of the war objectives.”
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu said in opening remarks at the weekly government cabinet meeting that “very complex negotiations” are underway with “a murderous terrorist organization that is unbridled and obstinate.” The prime minister emphasized that although there are points on which Israel “can be flexible,” there are some points on which flexibility is simply not an option, “which we will insist on.”
Along with the ceaseless efforts being made to return the hostages, Netanyahu said Israel continues to stand on “the principles that we have determined, which are vital for the security of Israel” and which are in keeping with the May 27 framework previously approved by the Biden Administration.
“Once again, I would like to emphasize: Up until now, Hamas has been completely obstinate. It did not even send a representative to the talks in Doha. Therefore, the pressure needs to directed at Hamas and Sinwar, not the Government of Israel,” Netanyahu emphasized in a clear warning to Blinken.
“Strong military and diplomatic pressure are the way to secure the release of our hostages,” Netanyahu reiterated.
The latest deal placed on the table during two days of talks this past week in Doha, Qatar, includes a six-week cease-fire, the release of an undetermined number of Israeli hostages in exchange for dozens of Palestinian Authority terrorist detainees incarcerated in Israel at a ratio of 25 terrorists for each free hostage, as well as withdrawal of Israeli forces from major population centers in Gaza.
Nevertheless, despite the cautious optimism expressed by the United States and Israel, the entire effort may end up being nothing more than an exercise in wishful thinking and American optics.
The Hamas terrorist organization didn’t bother to send a representative to last week’s talks in Doha, and on Saturday scoffed at President Joe Biden’s expressed optimism as merely an “illusion.” Moreover, Hamas has no intention of sending a representative to the talks intended to tie up loose ends on the deal this week in Cairo.
The terror group has consistently rejected every new proposal placed on the table, in much the same way that the Palestinian Authority’s Ramallah government has repeatedly rejected every final status agreement with Israel proposed by various European, Middle Eastern and US interlocutors.
