Hamas has agreed to a United Nations resolution supporting a plan to end the conflict with Israel in Gaza, showing readiness to negotiate the details. This development was hailed by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken as “a hopeful sign.” Mr. Blinken, after discussions with Israeli leaders in Tel Aviv-Yafo, emphasized the necessity of having plans in place for Gaza post-conflict.
Secretary Blinken met with Israeli officials to push for an end to the eight-month-long Israeli air and ground campaign against Hamas, which has devastated Gaza. This visit came a day after President Joe Biden’s truce proposal was approved by the U.N. Security Council. Despite past hardline positions from both Israel and Hamas, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri announced that the group accepted the ceasefire resolution and was prepared to negotiate the specifics, urging Washington to ensure Israel’s compliance.
“The U.S. administration is facing a real test to carry out its commitments in compelling the occupation to immediately end the war in implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolution,” Abu Zuhri told Reuters.
The conflict began on October 7, when Hamas-led militants launched an attack on southern Israel from Gaza, killing over 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. Israel’s subsequent air and ground assaults in Gaza have resulted in over 37,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread destruction.
President Biden’s plan calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a phased exchange of prisoners, aiming for a permanent end to the conflict. However, Israel has stated it will only agree to temporary pauses until Hamas is defeated, while Hamas insists on a deal guaranteeing the end of the war.
During his visit, Blinken also addressed plans for Gaza, focusing on security, governance, and rebuilding efforts. “We’ve been doing that in consultation with many partners throughout the region. Those conversations will continue. We must have these plans,” he said.
In Gaza, residents reacted cautiously to the Security Council vote, with many doubting its effectiveness. Shaban Abdel-Raouf, a displaced person in Deir Al-Balah, expressed skepticism, saying, “We will believe it only when we see it.”
Secretary Blinken’s visit also aimed to mitigate rising tensions between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, following signals from both sides of readiness for a broader conflict. In his Middle East tour, Blinken also held talks with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a key mediator in the Gaza conflict.
During his time in Israel, Blinken met with various Israeli leaders, including President Isaac Herzog and opposition figures, to discuss Biden’s truce proposal. The U.S. State Department emphasized that the proposal would enhance Israel’s security, facilitate the return of hostages, and stabilize the Israel-Lebanon border.
Despite ongoing violence in Gaza, with Israeli forces intensifying attacks on Rafah, hopes for a lasting ceasefire remain tenuous. The conflict has seen repeated declarations of imminent ceasefires, with only one week-long truce in November that led to the release of over 100 hostages in exchange for around 240 Palestinian prisoners
As the war continues, Israeli forces recently rescued four hostages in a commando raid in central Gaza, amid heavy bombardments that killed 274 Palestinians. According to Israeli authorities, over 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with at least 40 presumed dead.
