Blinken calls on Hamas to accept Israeli truce offer

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on the Palestinian group Hamas, designated a terrorist group by the US and the European Union, to accept Israel’s truce proposal, which includes the release of Israeli hostages captured by militants on October 7, 2023. He made this statement at the World Economic Forum, which is taking place in Riyadh.

Hamas representatives are expected to meet with Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Monday to present a response to Israel’s proposal for a phased truce. Blinken called the offer “extremely generous on Israel’s part.”

“The only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to make a decision, and they have to make a decision quickly. I hope they make the right decision,” Blinken said.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron also called Israel’s offer “generous” and expressed hope that Hamas would agree to the deal.

A Reuters source familiar with the negotiations said statedthat the Israeli proposal involves the release of at least 40 of the approximately 130 hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

According to the British Foreign Secretary, Israel’s proposal also includes a 40-day pause in hostilities.

In early April, according to CNN, Hamas representatives said during ceasefire negotiations that they would not be able to find 40 hostages for a possible exchange. The Israeli captives proposed to be exchanged were women and elderly, sick or wounded men. However, Hamas said it would not be able to find 40 living hostages who met such criteria.

• The radical Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. The militants killed more than 1,200 people and took about 250 hostage. Israel launched a military operation in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip with the goal of “destroying Hamas.”