US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Hamas was presented with an “extraordinarily generous” offer from Israel to halt the Gaza offensive in exchange for the release of hostages. Blinken emphasized that the decision to accept the proposal lies with Hamas, stating that “the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas.”
Blinken expressed hope that Hamas would make the right decision quickly to bring about a fundamental change in the dynamic of the long-standing conflict. A Hamas delegation was expected to meet in Egypt on Monday to discuss the ceasefire proposal brokered by Egypt and Qatar.
During his discussions in Riyadh, Blinken met with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan of Turkey, urging all efforts to convince Hamas to accept the immediate ceasefire proposal. Turkey, although recognizing Israel, has been critical of its Gaza offensive, with President Erdogan showing interest in playing a larger role in mediating the conflict following Qatar’s indication of stepping back from the negotiations.
