Blinken says US will try to bridge Israel-Hamas gaps on Gaza truce: ‘time for haggling to stop’
- The US Secretary of State said the onus was on Hamas, describing the rest of the world as united in seeking an end to the eight-month war
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed on Wednesday to work to seal a Gaza ceasefire agreement, saying not all Hamas demands were acceptable but voicing hope gaps could be closed.
Consulting 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.
