DOHA: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said the United States is reviewing a response from Hamas to a framework on an agreement for the release of hostages as part of an extended halt in Gaza war.
He made the remarks at a press conference in Qatar saying he would discuss Hamas’ response with Israeli authorities when he visits the country on February 7.
Blinken, however refused to discuss the details of the response.
He said Washington would use every tool to reach a halt in fighting and the release of more than 100 hostages.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we continue to believe that an agreement is possible, and indeed essential,” Blinken said.
Together with our partners in Qatar and Egypt we've put forth a serious proposal aimed at not just repeating, but expanding the previous pause in fighting to achieve the release of the remaining hostages and surge humanitarian relief to Gaza. pic.twitter.com/rp11i57XOj
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) February 6, 2024
He added the United States is determined to stop the fighting to build a diplomatic way to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Hamas gives response to Egypt, Qatar
Palestinian group Hamas on February 6 said it gave its response on a deal aimed at halting the war with Israel to key mediators.
A statement said the Hamas movement delivered its response to the framework agreement to the brothers in Qatar and Egypt.
The group has mulled the agreement drawn up in at Paris talks, as international pressure increases to end the four-month war.
Hamas said the proposal is focused at ending the aggression against its people, reconstruction, lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip, securing relief and shelter and completing the process of a prisoner exchange.
Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani has said Doha got a positive response from Hamas to the truce deal.
In an update on Tuesday, the Gaza Strip’s Health Ministry said at least 27,585 Palestinians, mostly women, and children, had been confirmed killed in Israel’s ground and aerial strikes, with thousands more feared buried under vast tracts of rubble across the densely populated besieged enclave.
Over 107 people had been killed in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said.
