US Reviews Hamas Response to Hostage Deal Offer, Will Discuss with Israel – Reuters

By Humeyra Pamuk

DOHA – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Tuesday that the United States is currently evaluating Hamas’s response to a proposed hostage deal, which he described as the best opportunity for resolving the ongoing conflict in Gaza that has persisted for four months.

During a press conference in Qatar, Blinken refrained from providing specific details regarding Hamas’s reply to the ceasefire offer. This proposition involves Hamas releasing hostages taken from Israel on October 7 in exchange for Israel agreeing to a prolonged pause in military operations.

Blinken noted that the response has been communicated to Israel, and he plans to discuss it with Israeli officials on Wednesday.

"There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we continue to believe that an agreement is possible, and indeed essential," Blinken affirmed. He emphasized that negotiating the hostages is the most effective way to achieve a lasting calm and to work toward an end to the conflict.

The U.S. aims to utilize any ceasefire to facilitate plans for the reconstruction and governance of Gaza and advance efforts towards a broader regional peace agreement, which could potentially involve Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel in exchange for measures aimed at establishing a Palestinian state.

The military offensive in Gaza was initiated by Israel following an attack by Hamas militants on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 253 hostages.

When asked about the perceived limitations of U.S. influence over Israel’s military actions, which have reportedly led to the deaths of at least 27,585 Palestinians according to the Gaza Health Ministry, Blinken responded that diplomacy is a gradual process.

"It’s almost never flipping a light switch. And it requires being in there with your sleeves rolled up every single day," he remarked, emphasizing that U.S. engagement has facilitated the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, while also urging Israel to safeguard civilian lives and working to prevent the conflict from escalating further.