US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed confidence in a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, stating that the deal will take effect if the militant group accepts the terms. Blinken highlighted the intensive efforts over recent weeks that brought the negotiations to the brink of completion, with a final proposal presented by the US, Qatar, and Egypt. He emphasized that the ball is now in Hamas' court. The proposed ceasefire includes the release of hostages by Hamas and the corresponding release of Israeli prisoners. The deal also outlines a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, says the hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will take effect if the militant group accepts the terms.“I believe we will get a ceasefire,” he said in Washington on Tuesday, adding that “at different moments, different parties have made it hard to finalise an agreement or events have delayed or derailed its completion”.after mediators gave Israel and Hamas a final draft of the deal.
“On Sunday, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt put forward a final proposal. The ball is now in Hamas’ court,” he added.The first phase, intended to last 42 days, would see the release of 33 hostages held by Hamas and its allies, including women, children, men over the age of 50, and wounded people.
Israel would, in turn, release “many hundreds” of prisoners, including Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis. The Israeli military is also expected to begin withdrawing from population centres during the first phase but would remain along the Gaza-Egypt border, known as the Philadelphi Corridor—a clause of the agreement that did not sit well with Hamas.Reports said negotiations to reach the second and third phases of the ceasefire agreement—which is intended to end the war—would start on the 16th day of the implementation of the deal.
ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE HOSTAGE RELEASE PRISONER SWAP PHILADLEPHIA CORRIDOR INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION
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