TEL AVIV: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, visiting Israel to push for a Gaza ceasefire, stated on Monday ongoing talks were “maybe the last” chance to reach a deal to end the war between Hamas and Israel.
“This is a key moment — perhaps the best, maybe the last, chance to get the hostages home, to get a ceasefire and to put everyone on a better path to enduring security and peace,” the US top diplomat said as he met Israeli President on his ninth visit to the region since the Hamas-Israel war broke out in October.
His remarks come as US President Joe Biden said that a Gaza truce remained a possibility, despite Hamas and Israel trading blame. Biden told media persons following spending the weekend at his Camp David retreat those dialogues were still underway and that “we are not giving up,” adding that an agreement was “still possible.”
Qatari, Egyptian and the US mediators have reported progress in talks to clinch a ceasefire in Gaza, and a US official stated remaining gaps were “bridgeable” but the current situation remains fraught with challenges.
Hamas has said that a new proposal meant to bridge the gaps between the group and Israel over a Gaza truce are too close to Israeli Prime Minister’s recent positions.
