Blinken Says 90% of Gaza Agreement Reached
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged both Israel and Hamas militants to come to an agreement on a truce. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The US Secretary of State is urging both Israel and Hamas to urgently resolve their outstanding issues and finalize a truce regarding Gaza, as the bulk of the agreement is reportedly already in place.
During a news conference in Haiti, Secretary Antony Blinken remarked, “based on what I’ve seen, 90% is agreed, but there are a few critical issues that remain where we need to be able to get agreement.” He emphasized the necessity for both parties to reach an agreement on the remaining points by stating, “it’s really incumbent on both parties to get to yes on these remaining issues.”
Blinken also warned that each day the agreement is not concluded and both sides do not affirmatively say “yes, period” is a day filled with potential risks, leading to unforeseen events that could derail an already fragile situation.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu contested Blinken's assertion that 90% of the deal is complete, calling it “exactly inaccurate.” He stated, “There’s a story, a narrative out there that there’s a deal out there… that’s just a false narrative,” adding, “There’s not a deal in the making… unfortunately, it’s not close.”
Netanyahu has committed to maintaining Israeli troops in the strategically important Philadelphi Corridor, a 14-kilometer stretch of land along the Gaza-Egypt border, arguing that their presence is crucial for overcoming Hamas.
The Palestinian militant group has strongly opposed any continued Israeli military presence in the corridor. Netanyahu’s stance on this matter has emerged as a significant hurdle to achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.
Hostilities escalated on October 7 when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,100 people and more than 200 individuals taken hostage. Some hostages have been released in prisoner swaps or rescued by the Israeli Army, but according to Israeli officials, Hamas still retains over 100 hostages in Gaza.
Israel’s extensive military response has reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, as reported by Palestinian health authorities.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
During a news conference in Haiti, Secretary Antony Blinken remarked, “based on what I’ve seen, 90% is agreed, but there are a few critical issues that remain where we need to be able to get agreement.” He emphasized the necessity for both parties to reach an agreement on the remaining points by stating, “it’s really incumbent on both parties to get to yes on these remaining issues.”
Blinken also warned that each day the agreement is not concluded and both sides do not affirmatively say “yes, period” is a day filled with potential risks, leading to unforeseen events that could derail an already fragile situation.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu contested Blinken's assertion that 90% of the deal is complete, calling it “exactly inaccurate.” He stated, “There’s a story, a narrative out there that there’s a deal out there… that’s just a false narrative,” adding, “There’s not a deal in the making… unfortunately, it’s not close.”
Netanyahu has committed to maintaining Israeli troops in the strategically important Philadelphi Corridor, a 14-kilometer stretch of land along the Gaza-Egypt border, arguing that their presence is crucial for overcoming Hamas.
The Palestinian militant group has strongly opposed any continued Israeli military presence in the corridor. Netanyahu’s stance on this matter has emerged as a significant hurdle to achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.
Hostilities escalated on October 7 when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,100 people and more than 200 individuals taken hostage. Some hostages have been released in prisoner swaps or rescued by the Israeli Army, but according to Israeli officials, Hamas still retains over 100 hostages in Gaza.
Israel’s extensive military response has reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, as reported by Palestinian health authorities.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
