Blinken Arrives in Israel to Seal ‘Essential’ Hamas-Israel Truce Deal: ‘Agreement Possible’

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, arrived in Israel on Wednesday to discuss the truce deal that could witness the release of the hostages held in the Hamas captivity and a three-phase four-and-a-half month temporary ceasefire to the hostilities. Blinken said in Israel that “more work was needed to be done on the hostage deal” but vowed optimism to reach a deal that pledges stepping up the humanitarian assistance for the civilians in the war-battered enclave of Gaza.

In Tel Aviv, Blinken met with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after a stopover in Qatar where he met with the Qatari foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. During talks with Israeli Prime Minister, US Secretary of State discussed the state of the war in the Gaza strip. 

.@SecBlinken holds a joint press availability with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, Qatar. https://t.co/LGFcBmYIbo https://t.co/wmWgNcdfKR

— Department of State (@StateDept)

On seeing Blinken, Netanyahu joked, “I haven’t see you in a longtime.” Blinken responded, “Yeah, it’s been a few weeks.” A readout by the US State Department said that Blinken in Tel Aviv will meet with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and President Isaac Herzog.

As a part of his Middle East tour to restore peace in the region, Blinken has visited Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Ramallah where he met with the leader of the Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas. Blinken and Abbas discussed “tangible steps” to establish a framework for the post-war Gaza and creation of the state of Palestine.

Blinken made a trip to Tel Aviv on January 9 where he met Netanyahu, as well as Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the war cabinet and the intelligence agencies officials and other senior Israeli officials. Blinked also met with the Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid. US Secretary of State pledged to make “relentless efforts” to bring the hostages held by Hamas home, as he also met with the hostages’ families.

Blinken, Netanyhau hold ‘in-depth, long’ talks

According to a readout released by the Office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken and his Israeli counterpart held a “long-and-in-depth” talks on the truce proposal underway as well as the counterproposal by Hamas. The Palestinian terror group responded to the hostages and the temporary ceasefire deal brokered by US, Egypt, and Qatar in Paris suggesting a three-phased deal that would last for 45 days, and will include the total withdrawal of all Israeli troops from the populated areas of the Gaza enclave and eventually a permanent ceasefire.

No demands of an immediate end to the war has been made in the framework agreement. Israel’s Prime Minister, Netanyahu, had vowed that the war in Gaza will not end until his military achieves a “complete victory” over Hamas, and roots out its military infrastructure. The truce deal involves release of hostages including children and women and men under 19 year old not enlisted in the Israeli military in exchange for freeing all Palestinian females, juveniles, sick and elderly people held in Israel’s jails. This includes those obviated of serious crimes with life sentences.

In Tel Aviv, Blinken met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and said, We’re [US is] looking at it [the proposal] intensely, as is, I know, the government of Israel.” He continued, “There's a lot of work to be done, but we are very much focused on doing that work, and hopefully being able to resume the release of hostages that was interrupted.”

An Israeli official told broadcaster Channel 13 that some of the demands that have been made by the armed Palestinian group Hamas “cannot be met.” It is up to the Israeli authorities whether they would negotiate the terms, suggest alternatives or reject outright the counterproposal laid down by Hamas, the sources familiar with the negotiations, requesting condition of anonymity, added. Hamas has reportedly listed “a series of demands” that Israel has been labelling as the “non-starters.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to hold a press conference to discuss the Hamas hostages deal later today alongside US Secretary of State Blinken at the Kirya military HQ in Jerusalem rather than the Capital Tel Aviv for the first time. Qatar, that mediated the ceasefire efforts expressed optimism, labelling the negotiations as “positive.” 

Earlier today, Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu told state press that the Hamas has listed the "demands that we will not accept” in exchange for the thousands of Palestinian prisoners to be released from Israeli prisons.US President, Joe Biden remarked on the Hamas’s counter-proposal, saying: “There’s been a response from Hamas, but it seems to be a little over the top … There’s continuing negotiations right now.”