Blinken talked about a ceasefire that “benefits everyone” (French)
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that his country is still pressing to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, but the ball is in the court of Hamas, as he put it.
Blinken said before the start of discussions with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Washington on Friday, “The problem is Hamas. The problem is whether or not Hamas will decide to implement a ceasefire that benefits everyone.”
He added, "The ball is in their court. We are working diligently on the matter and we will see what they do."
The US minister's statements came after Abu Ubaida, spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, confirmed that the highest priority for completing the prisoner exchange is full commitment to stopping the aggression against Gaza and the withdrawal of the occupation forces, and "there is no giving up on that."
Abu Ubaida - for whom Al Jazeera broadcast a video speech this evening for the first time since last January - said, “Washington’s crying over limited numbers of enemy prisoners confirms its double standards and its indifference to human rights.”
He added that it has become clear that "the enemy government uses deception and evasion in negotiations and is characterized by confusion and confusion."
Sources told Al Jazeera yesterday, Thursday, that the negotiations that recently took place in Cairo ended without reaching an agreement, and that the mediators tried to bridge the gap between Hamas and Israel, but their efforts did not succeed.
The sources reported that Israel rejected Hamas' request for a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip, and the return of the displaced without conditions.
Hamas said in a statement that its delegation left Cairo on Thursday to consult with the movement’s leadership as talks and efforts continue to stop the aggression, return the displaced, and bring relief aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza.
The Egyptian Cairo Channel quoted an official source as saying that talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire in Gaza before the advent of the month of Ramadan are continuing between all parties.
The source explained that the Hamas delegation left Cairo to hold consultations, but the talks will resume next week.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies