Topline
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday the upcoming Gaza cease-fire talks may be the last chance to secure the safe return of Israeli hostages held in the Palestinian territory and ensure a halt in fighting, marking Washington’s latest push for a deal between Israel and Hamas while trying to fend off a wider regional conflict.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv on Monday as … [+]
Key Facts
Ahead of his meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv, Blinken said this was 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.”
The top U.S. diplomat added it was also time to ensure that “no one takes any steps that could derail this process” warning that there is deep concern in Israel about the possibility of attacks by Iran, Hezbollah and other entities.
Blinken is on his ninth trip to the Middle East since the start of the Gaza war last October and it comes a day before mediators are set to meet in Cairo to try and secure a cease-fire.
While President Joe Biden has expressed optimism about a deal being close, both Hamas and Netanyahu traded barbs on Sunday—accusing each other of trying to sabotage it.
The negotiations are focused on getting both sides to agree on a three-phase ceasefire plan unveiled by Biden in May.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.
Key Background
Hamas on Sunday dismissed an updated cease-fire proposal, saying the proposal considered Israel’s demands but ignored Hamas’ positions. Hamas is particularly opposed to Israel’s demands of being able to maintain a military presence along a strip of land on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt. The original proposal outlined by Biden had called for Israeli forces to withdraw from Gaza’s populated regions in the first phase, followed by a full withdrawal from the Palestinian territory in the second phase “as long as Hamas lives up to its commitments.” Hamas also accused Netanyahu of sabotaging the work of the mediators by adding new conditions to prolong the war, to which Netanyahu responded: “We are conducting negotiations and not a scenario in which we just give and give.” Netanyahu’s office also put out a statement criticizing “serial leakers” in the Israeli negotiation team and accused them of recommending “giving in to Hamas’s demand.”
Tangent
Thousands of protestors have gathered in Chicago, the site of the Democratic National Convention this week, to demand a cease-fire in Gaza. The protesters are calling for a complete embargo on the sale of arms to Israel. On Sunday around 1,000 protestors marched in Chicago and chanted “Shut down the DNC,” Reuters reported. A group of delegates who are part of the “Uncommitted” movement have said they will not back Harris unless she agrees to the arms embargo. The delegates have also warned that they intend to bring up the issue on the convention floor.
Further Reading
Biden Backs Israel’s Cease-Fire Proposal: ‘Too Many Innocent People Have Been Killed’ (Forbes)
