Washington DC:
Accepting a ceasefire with Israel should be a no-brainer for Hamas, but the motivations of the militants' elusive leadership in Gaza remain unclear, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, said its delegation will return to Cairo on Saturday to resume long-running talks brokered by Egypt and Qatar that would temporarily halt Israel's offensive in exchange for the release of hostages.
“We're waiting to see if they can actually accept a yes in response to the ceasefire and the release of hostages,” Blinken said late Friday.
“The reality right now is that the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas.”
Blinken noted that the militants “aim to represent the Palestinian people” and said: “If true, then accepting a ceasefire should be a no-brainer.”
“But maybe there is something else going on, and we will have a better idea of that in the coming days,” he said.
Blinken pointed to problems in negotiations with Hamas, which the United States considers a terrorist group with which Israel does not engage directly and which Israel has pledged to eliminate.
“The leaders of Hamas that we deal with indirectly – through the Qataris, through the Egyptians – obviously live outside Gaza,” Blinken said.
“The ultimate decision makers are the people who are actually in Gaza itself and with whom none of us have direct contact.”
Blinken addressed the McCain Institute's Sedona Forum in Arizona, days after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top leaders during his latest visit to the Middle East.
Ahead of his talks with Blinken, Netanyahu vowed to press ahead with an attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah regardless of the outcome of ceasefire negotiations.
US President Joe Biden's administration has repeatedly warned Israel against moving to Rafah, where an estimated 1.2 million Palestinians have sought refuge.
Blinken said Israel, which relies on the United States for military and diplomatic support, has yet to “present a credible plan to actually protect civilians at risk.”
“Without such a plan, we cannot support a major military operation against Rafah because the damage it would cause exceeds what is acceptable,” Blinken said.
Global criticism of the war's toll among civilians has increased, as has pressure on the Biden administration.
The war broke out after Hamas' attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
The militants also took about 250 hostages, of whom Israel estimates 128 remain in Gaza, including 35 who are presumed dead.
Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed at least 34,622 people, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry of the Hamas-held territory.
Saudis want progress 'as quickly as possible'
Blinken held his final meeting with Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on Monday to discuss possible normalization with Israel.
“He has made it clear that he wants to do something about normalization, and he wants to do it as quickly as possible,” but only if the conditions are met, Blinken said.
Before Hamas's attacks on October 7, Netanyahu had seen growing Arab recognition of Israel as an important legacy, and Saudi Arabia, the guardian of Islam's two holiest sites, would be its most coveted prize.
But Saudi Arabia has made clear it wants a path to a Palestinian state, a prospect Netanyahu has long opposed and his far-right allies strongly oppose.
“I believe there can be a Palestinian state with the necessary security guarantees for Israel,” Blinken said.
“And to some extent I think there are Israelis who would like to achieve real separation. Well, that's one way to do it.'
While in Saudi Arabia, Blinken said the United States was close to finalizing a set of security promises the kingdom sought in exchange for normalization with Israel.
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