Reported 11 months ago
On June 11, 2024, US Secretary of State Blinken continued his Middle East tour, meeting with officials from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and attending a humanitarian aid conference in Jordan. While Hamas has signaled agreement with the UN Security Council's Gaza ceasefire resolution, Blinken noted that Hamas has not officially responded to the US-led Gaza ceasefire agreement. Despite both Israel and Hamas maintaining their hardline stances, a Hamas senior official indicated theoretical agreement to a ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, and prisoner exchange, contingent upon US assurance of Israeli compliance. The US-proposed Gaza ceasefire plan received overwhelming support at the UN Security Council vote on May 10, marking a rare occasion where a US-proposed resolution passed with Russian abstention. Blinken is awaiting a final response from Hamas leadership in Gaza before considering the situation resolved, as most top Hamas officials reside outside Gaza. Prime target for Israeli forces, Hamas leader Sinwar, reportedly intends to fight to the death, believing heavy Gaza civilian casualties could impair Israel's international standing and secure a final victory for Hamas.
Source: YAHOO