Blinken faces hurdles in Gaza

Jerusalem, Aug 21:  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken continued his diplomatic mission to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza by visiting Egypt and Qatar on Tuesday. His efforts come as both Hamas and Israel signal ongoing challenges in reaching an agreement.

Hamas has criticized the latest ceasefire proposal as a “reversal” of previous agreements and accused the U.S. of yielding to new Israeli conditions. The U.S. has yet to respond to these accusations.

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with right-wing groups, including families of fallen soldiers and hostages. These groups oppose a ceasefire and were reportedly told by Netanyahu that Israel will not relinquish control over two key strategic corridors in Gaza. Netanyahu’s office has not commented on these reports.

A senior U.S. official denied claims that Netanyahu had made such statements during private talks with Blinken. The official, speaking anonymously, dismissed the allegations as “totally untrue.”

The situation has been compounded by recent developments, including the targeted killings of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, which have heightened fears of a broader regional conflict.

Israel’s military announced the recovery of six hostages’ bodies, adding to the grief in Israel, where many are demanding a ceasefire to facilitate the return of remaining hostages. The recovered bodies include individuals from a group seized in an October 7 attack by Hamas militants, which marked the beginning of the current conflict.

Hamas is believed to still hold around 110 hostages, with Israeli estimates suggesting that about a third of them are deceased. The October 7 attack resulted in around 1,200 Israeli casualties and approximately 250 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory operations have caused over 40,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and have led to widespread destruction and displacement in Gaza.

Recent airstrikes by Israel have caused significant civilian casualties, including an attack on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City that killed at least 12 people. Another strike in Deir al-Balah resulted in seven deaths, including a woman and two children. As the humanitarian situation worsens, displaced Palestinians face dire conditions and a lack of basic necessities.