United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the “gaps are narrowing” in oblique negotiations between Israel and Hamas over one other cease-fire and hostage launch that the U.S., Egypt and Qatar have spent a number of weeks attempting to dealer.
Blinken’s sixth visit to the area for the reason that begin of the Israel-Hamas struggle started in Saudi Arabia and can take him to Egypt on Thursday and Israel on Friday. In an interview Wednesday with the Al-Hadath community in Saudi Arabia, Blinken stated the mediators labored with Israel to place a “strong proposal” on the desk. He stated Hamas rejected it, however got here again with different calls for that the mediators are engaged on.
“The gaps are narrowing, and I think an agreement is very much possible,” Blinken stated.
At least 31,819 Palestinians have been killed, in line with Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its rely however says ladies and youngsters make up two-thirds of the lifeless. A United Nations meals company warned that “famine is imminent” in northern Gaza.
Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 individuals in the shock Oct. 7 assault out of Gaza that triggered the struggle, and kidnapped one other 250 individuals. Hamas continues to be believed to be holding some 100 individuals hostage, in addition to the stays of 30 others.
Currently:
— Blinken provides a cease in Israel to his newest Mideast tour as tensions rise over preventing in Gaza.
— During the Israel-Hamas struggle, Jews will quickly have a good time Purim, one in every of their most joyous holidays.
— A firework is lit, a boy is shot. Israel’s use of lethal pressure in opposition to Palestinians is scrutinized.
— Find extra of AP’s protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
Here’s the newest:
ISRAEL SAYS ITS AIRSTRIKE KILLED 2 MILITANTS IN THE WEST BANK
JERUSALEM — The Israeli army says it launched an airstrike that killed two Palestinian militants during a raid in the West Bank.
The army stated in a press release early Thursday that the 2 posed a menace to its forces, which had been working in the built-up Nur Shams refugee camp in the West Bank city of Tulkarem.
The Palestinian Health Ministry and the Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service each stated 4 individuals had been killed in Nur Shams, together with the 2 killed in the airstrike, with out saying whether or not they had been civilians or combatants.
On Wednesday, a separate Israeli airstrike killed three Palestinian militants touring in a automobile in the northern West Bank. The Islamic Jihad group claimed them as members.
Violence throughout the Israeli-occupied West Bank has surged for the reason that Israel-Hamas struggle broke out final Oct. 7. Since then, at the very least 435 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli hearth, in line with Palestinian well being officers.
The Palestinians search an impartial state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast struggle.
THE GAPS ARE NARROWING IN NEGOTIATIONS FOR A NEW ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE DEAL, BLINKEN SAYS
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the “gaps are narrowing” in oblique negotiations between Israel and Hamas over one other cease-fire and hostage launch.
The United States, Egypt and Qatar have spent a number of weeks attempting to dealer an settlement to pause the preventing in Gaza and produce in regards to the launch of extra of the scores of hostages captured by Hamas in its Oct. 7 assault that began the struggle.
Blinken’s sixth visit to the area for the reason that begin of the struggle started in Saudi Arabia and can take him to Egypt on Thursday and Israel on Friday. In an interview Wednesday with the Al-Hadath community in Saudi Arabia, Blinken stated “the gaps are narrowing, and I think an agreement is very much possible.” He stated the mediators labored with Israel to place a “strong proposal” on the desk however that Hamas rejected it. But, he stated, Hamas got here again with different calls for that the mediators are engaged on.
Hamas has demanded ensures that any cease-fire settlement will result in an finish to the struggle and the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza, from which lots of of hundreds fled following Israeli evacuation orders in October. Israel has to this point rejected these calls for, saying it’s decided to resume its offensive after any cease-fire and proceed preventing till it destroys Hamas.
Hamas continues to be believed to be holding round 100 hostages, in addition to the stays of round 30 others. It hopes to alternate them for the discharge of huge numbers of Palestinian prisoners, together with high militants.
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