Hamas says "Netanyahu is delaying negotiations"
Amid escalating risks of a wider conflict in the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel on the 18th (local time) to pressure for a ceasefire negotiation in the Gaza war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a hardline stance, urging pressure on Hamas rather than Israel, while Hamas claimed that Israel is delaying the negotiations.
According to major foreign media including AFP, Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv, Israel, in the afternoon of the same day. Following this, on the 19th, he is scheduled to meet key Israeli figures such as Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and President Isaac Herzog. At this meeting, Blinken is expected to urge the conclusion of ceasefire negotiations to prevent further escalation in the Middle East region.
A senior official of the Biden administration described the ceasefire and hostage negotiations as a "critical moment at a turning point." Blinken's visit to the Middle East marks his ninth trip since the Gaza Strip war began following Hamas's surprise attack on Israel in October last year. On the 20th, Blinken plans to continue his Middle East tour with a visit to Egypt.
Prime Minister Netanyahu argued that to reach an agreement on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, "pressure should be applied to Hamas and the new political leader Yahya Sinwar, not Israel." During the weekly cabinet meeting that day, Netanyahu said, as reported by The Times of Israel, "Hamas has so far maintained a stubborn stance and has not even sent representatives to the Doha negotiations."
The same media outlet predicted that Netanyahu is likely to convey the message during his meeting with Secretary Blinken that "strong military and diplomatic pressure is the way to achieve the release of hostages."
On the other hand, Hamas issued a statement that day claiming Netanyahu is "obstructing the efforts of mediators." Hamas argued that "Israel is responsible for exposing Palestinian hostages in Gaza to attacks similar to those Palestinians face."
Earlier, the United States, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar negotiated a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release in Doha, Qatar, on the 15th and 16th but failed to achieve significant results. The three countries excluding Israel issued a joint statement saying they proposed mediation plans to narrow differences and announced that negotiations would resume this week in Cairo, Egypt.
Meanwhile, despite ongoing efforts by mediators to bring about a ceasefire agreement, casualties continue to mount in the Gaza Strip. According to the Associated Press, at least 19 people were killed overnight on the 18th due to Israeli airstrikes.
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