U.S. pushes for Gaza cease-fire, seeing narrow window for a deal before Israel launches Rafah assault
Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas to accept what he said was an “extraordinarily generous” proposal for a truce and hostage release agreement.
The diplomatic push comes as protests against Israel’s actions
rock college campuses across the U.S. and as Israel fears its leaders
could soon face arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court.
In a significant softening of Israel’s position, senior administration officials and Arab diplomats said Israel has for the first time indicated it would accept a sustained cease fire lasting more than six weeks, as the U.S has been proposing.
“An attack on Rafah would give Sinwar the support he needs to hold out for the destruction of Israel.”
Don't do it!
Right-wing members of Netanyahu's Cabinet have signaled their opposition, saying Israel should focus on attacking Rafah, and threatened to leave the government if the deal goes ahead. More moderate members, including war Cabinet minister Benny Gantz, have said a hostage deal is more urgent than an offensive in Rafah.
Netanyahu has repeatedly signaled his intent to launch a full-scale ground invasion on the city where it says many remaining Hamas militants are holed up.
The U.S. also continues to pursue a broader deal that would involve a normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, a path toward an independent Palestinian state and a plan to rebuild Gaza, the American officials said.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas to accept what he said was an “extraordinarily generous” proposal for a truce and a hostage release agreement.
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Your country is Israel. I suspect you are an American Jew who's alliance is more with Israel than America.
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