JERUSALEM/Xinhua
Israel has agreed to a new proposal on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During a press conference in Tel Aviv, Blinken said Netanyahu “confirmed that Israel approves” the new US-backed proposal. The proposal was presented over the weekend to Israel and Hamas by mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
Blinken urged Hamas to approve the proposal and stressed the urgency of addressing the suffering in Gaza, where more than 40,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks, and the need to free hostages still held by Hamas.
Blinken visited Israel amid efforts to broker a ceasefire in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, before traveling to Egypt and Qatar, key mediators in the negotiations.
Netanyahu issued a video statement during Blinken’s news conference in which he described his meeting with him as “good and important,” though he did not explicitly express support for the proposal.
The prime minister said the United States “showed understanding regarding our vital security needs amid joint efforts to free our hostages.”
Hamas had previously dismissed the proposal, saying it was too closely aligned with Israel’s demands, particularly Israel’s insistence on maintaining military forces inside the Palestinian enclave, and accused Israel of introducing new demands.
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