Israel consented to troop withdrawal from Gaza, says Blinken
The US Secretary of State has expressed that Washington will not tolerate any prolonged occupation of Gaza by Israel. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The US Secretary of State has made it clear that Washington does not support a long-term occupation of the Palestinian enclave.
Israel has agreed to withdraw its troops from certain areas of Gaza in ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire with the Palestinian group Hamas, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Tuesday, following the latest negotiations held in Qatar.
During a press conference in Doha, Blinken addressed earlier reports suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had persuaded the US to permit Israel to maintain its military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor, which lies between Gaza and Egypt.
While he refrained from detailing specifics about the discussions, which involve mediation from the US, Egypt, and Qatar, Blinken asserted that “the United States does not accept any long-term occupation of Gaza by Israel." He further remarked that the current agreement under consideration is “very clear on the schedule and the locations of (Israel Defense Forces) withdrawals from Gaza, and Israel has agreed to that.”
Blinken emphasized that the latest proposal represents “probably the best, possibly the last opportunity” to achieve a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict, stating that Washington is committed to doing “everything possible to get it across the finish line.”
These comments followed reports that Netanyahu informed the families of fallen Israeli soldiers that West Jerusalem would not abandon the Philadelphi Corridor or the Netzarim Corridor, a strip connecting northern and southern Gaza. He reportedly argued that maintaining control over these regions is essential to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza.
Despite pressures from Israeli negotiators warning him that his stance undermines the chances of a deal, the prime minister has remained steadfast, according to Kan public broadcaster.
Blinken also urged both Israel and Hamas to demonstrate “maximum flexibility” in order to facilitate a ceasefire agreement.
In reaction to Netanyahu’s firm stance on the two corridors, Hamas released a statement rejecting the latest terms of the hostage-ceasefire deal discussed the previous week, attributing the new obstacles in negotiations to the Israeli prime minister.
The hostilities began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel from Gaza on October 7 last year, which resulted in approximately 1,100 fatalities and 200 hostages taken. In response, the extensive Israeli military action has led to the deaths of over 40,000 individuals, with more than 92,000 reported injuries, according to Palestinian health authorities.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
Israel has agreed to withdraw its troops from certain areas of Gaza in ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire with the Palestinian group Hamas, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Tuesday, following the latest negotiations held in Qatar.
During a press conference in Doha, Blinken addressed earlier reports suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had persuaded the US to permit Israel to maintain its military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor, which lies between Gaza and Egypt.
While he refrained from detailing specifics about the discussions, which involve mediation from the US, Egypt, and Qatar, Blinken asserted that “the United States does not accept any long-term occupation of Gaza by Israel." He further remarked that the current agreement under consideration is “very clear on the schedule and the locations of (Israel Defense Forces) withdrawals from Gaza, and Israel has agreed to that.”
Blinken emphasized that the latest proposal represents “probably the best, possibly the last opportunity” to achieve a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict, stating that Washington is committed to doing “everything possible to get it across the finish line.”
These comments followed reports that Netanyahu informed the families of fallen Israeli soldiers that West Jerusalem would not abandon the Philadelphi Corridor or the Netzarim Corridor, a strip connecting northern and southern Gaza. He reportedly argued that maintaining control over these regions is essential to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza.
Despite pressures from Israeli negotiators warning him that his stance undermines the chances of a deal, the prime minister has remained steadfast, according to Kan public broadcaster.
Blinken also urged both Israel and Hamas to demonstrate “maximum flexibility” in order to facilitate a ceasefire agreement.
In reaction to Netanyahu’s firm stance on the two corridors, Hamas released a statement rejecting the latest terms of the hostage-ceasefire deal discussed the previous week, attributing the new obstacles in negotiations to the Israeli prime minister.
The hostilities began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel from Gaza on October 7 last year, which resulted in approximately 1,100 fatalities and 200 hostages taken. In response, the extensive Israeli military action has led to the deaths of over 40,000 individuals, with more than 92,000 reported injuries, according to Palestinian health authorities.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
