US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Monday evening that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the proposal presented by Washington during the last round of negotiations in Doha regarding a possible prisoner exchange deal with the resistance, which was criticized by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
Blinken added, in a press conference in Tel Aviv, after 3-hour talks with Netanyahu and then with Defense Minister Yoav Galant, that Netanyahu informed him of Israel’s approval of the proposal presented by the United States in the round of negotiations held last Thursday and Friday in Doha to bring the positions of the parties closer together.
He added that Hamas must now accept the proposal regarding a possible ceasefire agreement in Gaza and a prisoner exchange.
For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he held a meeting that he described as good and important with the US Secretary of State.
Netanyahu said in a statement issued by his office following the
talks that Israel seeks to release the largest possible number of prisoners in the first phase of the deal, adding that Israel appreciates the efforts of the United States in what he described as “regional defense against the Iranian axis.”
Hamas reiterated on Sunday that the American proposal meets Netanyahu’s conditions, especially his rejection of a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal from Gaza and his insistence on continuing to occupy the Netzarim and Philadelphi axes and the Rafah crossing.
The movement indicated – in a statement – that the new proposal set new conditions in the prisoner exchange file and retreated from other items, which prevents the completion of the exchange deal.
Hours after the end of the last round, a Hamas leader confirmed to Al Jazeera that any agreement must guarantee the cessation of aggression and withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and must also include providing urgent relief and reaching a real prisoner exchange deal.
The leader stressed the movement’s commitment to what it
agreed to on July 2, based on President Joe Biden’s announcement and the Security Council resolution, calling on mediators to pressure the occupation and oblige it to implement what was agreed upon.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency