RIYADH. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron urged Hamas to promptly accept an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant group in a diplomatic push to end the Gaza war.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh on Monday, Blinken called the Israeli proposal “extraordinarily generous” and emphasized the urgency for Hamas to make a decision. He stated, “The only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide and they have to decide quickly.”
According to sources briefed on the matter, Israel’s proposal includes the release of fewer than 40 of the approximately 130 hostages believed to be held in Gaza, in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. The proposal also outlines a second phase for a ceasefire, involving a “period of sustained calm” as a compromise to Hamas’s demand for a permanent ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Cameron described the Israeli offer as “generous” and urged Hamas to accept it. He stated, “I hope Hamas do take this deal and frankly, all the pressure in the world and all the eyes in the world should be on them today saying ‘take that deal’.”
The Gaza conflict erupted after Hamas seized 253 hostages in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,200 Israeli casualties. In response, Israel imposed a total siege on Gaza and launched an air and ground assault that has led to the deaths of about 34,500 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
As diplomatic efforts intensify to end the conflict, Blinken reiterated that the United States could not support an Israeli ground assault on Rafah without assurances for the safety of civilians. He highlighted the need for “calm in Gaza and a credible pathway to a Palestinian state” to move forward with normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, also expressed optimism about the normalization process, stating that an accord between Washington and Riyadh was “very, very close”.
The meeting in Riyadh, attended by foreign ministers from the U.S., France, Jordan, and Egypt, underscores the international community’s concerted efforts to broker a ceasefire and pave the way for long-term peace in the region.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
