After the United States reported that the Palestinian movement Hamas rejected Egypt’s proposal for a short-term ceasefire in Gaza, negotiations are still ongoing and mediators are not giving up on trying to reach an agreement.
“All options are on the table to try to reach a deal, and the parties are watching the results of the US elections to determine how to respond,” he said.
The revelation that the Hamas group had rejected a proposal drawn up by Egypt for a temporary ceasefire was made in a US readout issued on Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s call with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.
Blinken “noted that Hamas has once again refused to release even a limited number of hostages to secure a ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza,” the readout stated.
The Egyptian proposal called for a 12-day ceasefire, during which Hamas would release four Israeli hostages, after which the two sides would negotiate a permanent ceasefire. However, the movement has clarified that it will only accept a short-term deal if it includes long-term guarantees, something the Egyptian proposal does not offer.
Today is the United States Election Day, The election that will determine the new president is of critical importance not only for the United States but also for the Middle East, Ukraine, and the rest of the world.
The winner of the election will be announced tomorrow night, according to preliminary results, but final results are likely not to be known for days.
Earlier, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed this with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The head of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry stressed that his country “categorically rejects and condemns Israel’s measures that hinder the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).”
The two officials also addressed political and field developments in Lebanon. Abdelatty stressed the need for international efforts to secure an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon, calm tensions, fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and provide humanitarian aid in response to Lebanon’s severe crisis.
