Antony Blinken to visit Egypt this week in effort to hasten ceasefire negotiations
Tel Aviv, March 20 (IANS) US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is set to visit Egypt later this week to review ongoing peace talks between Israel and Hamas. The US has made it clear to Israel that it does not support a ground offensive in Rafah due to concerns about civilian casualties.
President Biden relayed this message directly to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in a recent phone call. Meanwhile, Mossad Chief, David Barnea, has returned to Tel Aviv after unsuccessful negotiations with Hamas in Qatar.
Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Gallant, have instructed their delegation to continue negotiations on Israeli terms and not give in to unreasonable demands from Hamas. Talks hit a roadblock due to Israel’s tough stance.
Israeli intelligence reports suggest that Hamas is trying to stall and prevent a ground assault by the Israeli army in Rafah. The Hamas leadership is hoping that international pressure will force Israel to back down from the offensive, allowing them to protect their remaining battalions.
The Hamas’s armed forces are struggling, and the group is desperate to retain its four remaining battalions. Antony Blinken’s visit to Egypt is crucial as it remains to be seen how Israel will respond to Hamas’s ceasefire conditions presented during the negotiations.
It is evident that the situation in Rafah is reaching a critical juncture, with both sides unwilling to compromise on key issues. The outcome of Blinken’s visit and the subsequent negotiations will have significant implications for the future of the peace talks between Israel and Hamas.
