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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed Wednesday to work to seal a Gaza ceasefire agreement, saying not all Hamas demands were acceptable but voicing hope gaps could be closed.
Consulting with key mediator Qatar on the Hamas response to the plan outlined by US President Joe Biden, Blinken said the Palestinian group could have given a "clear and simple yes" but voiced guarded hope for moving forward.
"We believe that some of the requested changes are workable and some are not," Blinken told reporters in Doha.
"And so we have to see on an urgent basis over the course of the coming days whether those gaps are bridgeable."
But he said the onus was on Hamas, describing the rest of the world as united in seeking an end to the eight-month war.
"We're determined to try to bridge the gaps. And I believe those gaps are bridgeable," Blinken said.
"That doesn't mean they will be bridged because, ultimately, Hamas has to decide," he added.
Hamas proposed amendments late Tuesday, including a ceasefire timeline and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, according to a source familiar with the talks.
Blinken declined to elaborate on the Hamas demands.
He reiterated that Israel was behind the ceasefire, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not formally endorsed it and has far-right government members who have vowed to stop the deal.
'Day-After Planning'
Blinken, concluding his latest crisis trip to four countries, including Israel, also highlighted a key concern of the United States with its ally -- that it does not have a plan for what happens after the war.
"In the coming weeks, we will put forward proposals for key elements of day-after planning," Blinken said.
Blinken said the proposals would cover how to handle Gaza governance, security, and reconstruction.
With AFP
Consulting with key mediator Qatar on the Hamas response to the plan outlined by US President Joe Biden, Blinken said the Palestinian group could have given a "clear and simple yes" but voiced guarded hope for moving forward.
"We believe that some of the requested changes are workable and some are not," Blinken told reporters in Doha.
"And so we have to see on an urgent basis over the course of the coming days whether those gaps are bridgeable."
But he said the onus was on Hamas, describing the rest of the world as united in seeking an end to the eight-month war.
"We're determined to try to bridge the gaps. And I believe those gaps are bridgeable," Blinken said.
"That doesn't mean they will be bridged because, ultimately, Hamas has to decide," he added.
Hamas proposed amendments late Tuesday, including a ceasefire timeline and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, according to a source familiar with the talks.
Blinken declined to elaborate on the Hamas demands.
He reiterated that Israel was behind the ceasefire, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not formally endorsed it and has far-right government members who have vowed to stop the deal.
'Day-After Planning'
Blinken, concluding his latest crisis trip to four countries, including Israel, also highlighted a key concern of the United States with its ally -- that it does not have a plan for what happens after the war.
"In the coming weeks, we will put forward proposals for key elements of day-after planning," Blinken said.
Blinken said the proposals would cover how to handle Gaza governance, security, and reconstruction.
With AFP
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