CAIRO: The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, flies back to the Middle East this week as attempts to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas hang in the balance following the sensational upgrade of four Israeli hostages held in Gaza in a major military operation and Cabinet troubles for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. With no definitive response from Hamas yet on a proposal submitted 10 days ago, Blinken will embark on his eighth diplomatic visit to the area since fighting started in October.
The plan is that he meets with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo before going on to Israel, Jordan, and Qatar.
Though Biden, Blinken and others in America have commended the hostage rescue, it led to heavy casualties among Palestinian civilians which might complicate an armistice by boosting Israel’s confidence while hardening Hamas’ stand against surrendering its aggression that began with its attacks into Israel on October 7th.
“It’s hard to say how Hamas would actually see this particular operation and what impact it would have on their resolve about whether they say yes or no,” said Jake Sullivan who is Biden’s security advisor. “We haven’t had any formal response from them.”
Among other things Blinken will stress when speaking with el-Sissi and Qatari leaders – who are intermediaries between his government and Hamas – is how important it is for those militants to take the three-phase proposal given
This plan states that hostages should be released and there should be a temporary halt of hostilities that may subsequently lead to total withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza.
“We’re hopeful that enough international community singing with one voice … will get Hamas to do the right thing” Sullivan told ABC’s “This Week”.
However, there could be other obstacles besides Hamas.
Described as an Israeli initiative even though thousands of Israelis have demonstrated their support for it; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubts its veracity. He has also dismissed the call to stop all hostilities on the ground until Israel finishes off Hamas.
Netanyahu’s far-right allies have threatened his coalition if he pushes through this plan, while Benny Gantz, a popular centrist, resigned from the three-member War Cabinet on Sunday after warning that he would if Netanyahu did not come up with a new post-war Gaza plan. Following the hostage rescue, Netanyahu had appealed to him not to resign.
Blinken has met with Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, Gantz and Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid on almost all of his previous visits to Israel.
According to officials Gantz’s resignation would not necessarily affect Blinken’s schedule.
The US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said last Friday that Blinken would use the visit as an opportunity “to talk about how the cease-fire proposal would benefit both Israelis and Palestinians.”
Miller stated that in addition to alleviating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, it will reduce tension at Lebanon-Israel border and pave way for greater integration between Israel and other Arab countries thus enhancing prospects for future Israeli security.
The fighting has continued over the weeks with more than 36700 Palestinians killed in Gaza, according to their health ministry that does not distinguish between militants and noncombatants.
At the same time, the ability of food, medicine and other provisions to reach Palestinians has bee severely hampered by this war. By mid-July, UN agencies predict that about 1m people in Gaza may be pushed into acute hunger requiring emergency life-saving assistance.
Also in Jordan, Blinken will take part in an international conference on speeding up aid delivery to Gaza.
