Blinken discusses captive deal proposal with Gallant, Gantz
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The US Secretary of State stresses to the occupation's cabinet that the deal would enhance "Israel’s" long-term security interests, especially through what they called regional integration.
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United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives for a media conference in Prague, on Friday, May 31, 2024 (AP)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a phone call with Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant and War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz to discuss the latest potential deal proposal revealed by President Joe Biden last week, according to the US State Department.
A Times of Israel report cited the US readout stating that Blinken “commended Israel’s readiness to conclude a deal and affirmed that the onus is on Hamas to accept” while stressing that the deal would enhance "Israel’s" long-term security interests, especially through what they called as regional integration.
No response from the Israeli side regarding the phone call has been made public yet.
Biden claimed that this is the most effective step toward de-escalating the ongoing war, adding, "With a ceasefire, that aid could be safely and effectively distributed to all who need it."
The three phases proposed by Biden are as follows:
In phase one: A six-week ceasefire would be implemented. During this period, Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza, and Israeli captives, including the elderly and women, would be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian detainees. Palestinian civilians, including those in northern Gaza, would be returned, and 600 daily trucks would deliver humanitarian aid.
Read next: Israeli far-right ministers threaten to quit if Biden plan goes ahead
In phase two: Negotiations between Hamas and "Israel" would commence to establish terms for a permanent end to hostilities. Biden emphasized that the ceasefire would persist during these talks.
In phase three: A comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza would be initiated. Qatar has conveyed the proposal to Hamas, according to Biden. The US President also urged those in "Israel" advocating for prolonged war to reconsider their stance.
In response to Biden's announcement of the plan, the Palestinian Resistance group said in a statement that it "views positively" the contents of his speech earlier on Friday regarding "a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, reconstruction and the exchange of captives and prisoners."
The leader of the opposition in "Israel", Yair Lapid, said that a recent interview with the advisor of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "proves that Israeli has already announced that it has accepted the deal." However, if that "acceptance was retracted," Lapid warned, it would be a "death sentence" for the captives held by the Palestinian Resistance and would result in a "crisis of trust with the Americans" and countries mediating the talks.
Read next: Netanyahu says proposal 'non-starters' without Hamas elimination
