US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, while in Doha, said negotiating teams would meet in the coming days to discuss possible options for a deal with Hamas terrorists.
He noted that after the significant blows inflicted on Hamas and its leaders, favorable conditions had emerged for a ceasefire and an end to the war. The US Secretary of State also highlighted that Yahya Sinwar was hindering the progress of the negotiations.
“We are looking at several different options, but first we need to make sure Hamas is ready for dialogue. Sinwar is no longer with us, so now we can move on. I wanted the conflict to expand,” Blinken said.
He also noted that the upcoming negotiations will not affect the fighting in Lebanon. He later commented on the IDF’s actions in the northern Gaza Strip, as well as on rumors that Israel was allegedly implementing the “generals’ plan”: “The Israeli side has assured us that this is not part of “We reject any plan to occupy or blockade Lebanon and Gases.”
He noted that the United States supports our country’s right to defend itself against Iranian aggression and highlighted that joint efforts are being made with Israel to contain that country by avoiding escalation of the conflict.
Previously, Cursor wrote that Egypt is counting on Israel’s response to its proposal for a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which could facilitate the return of some prisoners. Senior Egyptian officials discussed the initiative with the head of Israel’s Shin Bet security service, Ronen Bar, during his visit to Cairo.