On Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken attended a press conference in Doha with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. Blinken stated that the conflict in Gaza would persist due to Hamas’s reaction. He mentioned that certain amendments suggested by Hamas to the truce proposal by the United States and the United Nations for Gaza were not feasible. Yet, the pursuit of an agreement is ongoing.
Blinken put things in perspective “This war ends today if Hamas says yes to the UN – US deal on the table and we can begin to plan for the future. One that sees no more Israelis or Palestinian deaths.”
Al Jazeera reported that Hamas submitted its response jointly with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad on Tuesday, describing it as “responsible” and “positive”. “The response puts the priority to the interest of our Palestinian people, the necessity to completely stop the ongoing aggression on Gaza, and the withdrawal [of Israeli forces] from the entire Gaza Strip,” the group said in a statement.
“A deal was on the table that was virtually identical to a proposal that Hamas put forward on May 6 – a deal that the entire world is behind, a deal Israel has accepted. And Hamas could have answered with a single word: Yes,” Blinken said
The complexity of securing a deal arises from the fact that all parties in these peace talks are engaging with Hamas, which is considered a terrorist group. They operate according to their own rules and, frankly, they are strategizing for the long term.
A CNN report disclosed that US intelligence sources informed the network on Tuesday of their belief that Yahya Sinwar, the influential leader of Hamas in Gaza and the presumed principal decision-maker for any potential ceasefire agreement, likely holds the view that Hamas can withstand Israel’s efforts to dismantle it. He is confident that the group is strategically poised to enter negotiations from a position of strength, as per US officials privy to the latest evaluations.
CNN has reported that, according to sources, Hamas’s goal is simply to survive, which would constitute a victory for the group. Sinwar seems to think that Hamas can endure while Israel’s international reputation suffers as the conflict in Gaza persists—a conflict that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians. A senior official from the Biden administration stated candidly, “He believes he’s winning.”
Meanwhile, Blinken believes that his visits to regional countries may pressure Hamas into accepting the deal, avoiding a protracted conflict with Israel. As the US exerts influence on those with sway over Hamas to encourage acceptance of the deal, Blinken emphasized on Tuesday that the US views Sinwar as the key decision-maker.
“It should come as no surprise to anyone that Sinwar does not care at all about the lives of innocent Palestinians caught in this war, a war he started. And it should not surprise or shock anyone that a creature like Mr. Sinwar would revel in it and see it as an advantage,” said National Security Spokesperson John Kirby.
On Wednesday in Jordan, Secretary Blinken stated that the nature of Hamas’s response to the proposal would be telling of the group’s priorities. “We are awaiting Hamas’s response, which will inherently reflect their desires, objectives, and concerns,” said Blinken.
If the conflict continues, and Sinwar’s indifference to civilian casualties has attracted global scrutiny. Furthermore, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has pledged to target Sinwar for elimination, and there are talks of permitting Sinwar to depart into exile as part of a deal for the release of hostages and the dissolution of the Hamas administration in Gaza.
It is widely believed that Sinwar is concealed within an underground bunker in Gaza, potentially encircled by hostages. His assuredness in Hamas’s endurance and his capacity to negotiate from a position of strength have hindered the progress towards a ceasefire agreement with Israel.
It will soon be clear whether a deal with Hamas is possible without Sinwar’s approval, or if he has the ultimate authority over the organization’s decisions. The U.S. and regional partners are exerting pressure on Hamas to accept the deal, threatening to cut off funding and explore other measures to dismantle the group.
Before departing from Doha, Blinken stated that the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt would persist in their efforts to secure a deal in the following days, expressing optimism that some of the differences could be reconciled. However, until such an agreement is reached, the death toll in both Gaza and Israel is likely to escalate.
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