The U.S. State Department announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli officials on Monday to discuss the latest developments regarding ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that Blinken met with senior Israeli officials on Monday and discussed the ongoing talks to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The State Department is confident that the remaining issues between Israel and Hamas concerning the ceasefire agreement can be resolved.
During the meeting, Israel’s National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer confirmed that Israel remains committed to reaching a ceasefire agreement under the terms set by President Joe Biden on May 31.
Philadelphia Corridor Focus
According to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on refusing the army’s withdrawal from the Philadelphia Corridor along the Gaza Strip border with Egypt. Additionally, Netanyahu rejects the return of residents to northern Gaza.
The military is working on expanding the Philadelphia Corridor to prevent arms smuggling. The negotiating team informed Netanyahu that Hamas would not agree to a truce without a withdrawal from Philadelphia.
Strict Commitment
Earlier, Netanyahu’s advisor Dmitry Gindelman emphasized Tel Aviv’s strict adherence to the Gaza agreement supported by Biden.
He announced that Hamas attempted to make 29 changes to the Gaza deal, which Netanyahu rejected, according to the TASS agency.
As for the next step in the negotiations, Gindelman believes that it should be taken by Hamas when it accepts all the terms of the deal being discussed, which is supported by the United States.
Israel, according to Gindelman, insists that its terms include the right to continue the war until all its goals are achieved, preventing arms smuggling from the Sinai Peninsula, returning the maximum number of living hostages in the first phase of the deal, and preventing the return of Hamas fighters to northern Gaza.
Negotiations Continue
While ceasefire negotiations continue in Qatar and Egypt regarding the Gaza Strip, Israeli military operations continue to date.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that a foreign official familiar with the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza mentioned that Mossad Chief David Barnea will participate in new talks this week in Qatar, despite Israeli airstrikes near Khan Younis in the southern part of the strip, which aimed to target the military wing leader of Hamas, Mohammad Deif.
Hamas also confirmed its continuation in the negotiations.
