Blinken: 'Decisive moment, last opportunity' for Gaza ceasefire
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claims the US is increasing diplomatic pressure to ensure a breakthrough in ceasefire negotiations.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken signs a guest book before his meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the Presidency, Sunday, March 27, 2022, in al-Quds. (AP)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described Washington's recent efforts for the establishment of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip "probably the best, maybe the last opportunity", calling on all parties to allow the finalization of the deal.
Reuters reported that Blinken plans on intensifying diplomatic pressure to ensure a breakthrough in negotiations, which are set to resume later this week in Cairo after last week's Doha round.
Ahead of his meeting with the Israeli occupation's president, Isaac Herzog, Blinken told reporters that the upcoming round of talks is a "decisive moment" and potentially the last opportunity to return the captives and implement a ceasefire "to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security."
"It is time for everyone to get to yes and to not look for any excuses to say no," he added.
Negotiations for a ceasefire have been ongoing for months, however, mediators have failed to complete a deal amid continuous and persistent Israeli obstruction and backtracking.
Last week's Doha talks included an American proposal that allegedly "bridged the gaps" between the Palestinian Resistance and the Israeli occupation.
Hamas, however, warned of the "cautious optimism" the US is showing, based on precedents and the failure of all previous endeavors toward a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal.
Hamas responds to ceasefire proposal, blames Netanyahu for stalling
On August 18, Hamas issued a statement responding to the ceasefire proposal, highlighting the flexibility it has shown on multiple rounds of talks and regarding a number of drafts, including President Joe Biden's July proposal.
After the trilateral statement, Hamas said it urged mediators to present a plan to implement the proposal so negotiations do not become a vicious cycle, referring to how it has been made clear that Netanyahu's stalling and adding obstacles to prolong the aggression and buy himself more time in power.
"After listening to the mediators regarding what transpired in the latest round of talks in Doha, it became clear to us once again that Netanyahu is still placing obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement, setting new conditions and demands aimed at thwarting the mediators' efforts and prolonging the war," the statement detailed.
Hamas detailed how the new proposal aligns with Netanyahu's conditions, particularly his refusal to a permanent ceasefire, the complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, his insistence on continuing to occupy the Netzarim axis, the Rafah crossing, and the Philadelphia corridor."
Netanyahu set new conditions for the prisoner exchange and backed down on other commitments, which prevented the completion of the exchange deal.
The Resistance movement held Netanyahu "fully responsible for the failure of the mediators' efforts, the obstruction of reaching an agreement, and full responsibility for the lives of his captives, who are exposed to the same danger as our people due to his continued aggression and systematic targeting of all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip."
