Blinken travels to key mediator Qatar following Hamas truce deal response

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that he will discuss Hamas’s response to a possible truce agreement with the Israeli government, considering it “necessary” to reach an agreement. Blinken said during a press conference in Doha on Tuesday (February 6, 2024), after Qatar announced that it had received a response from Hamas, “There is still a lot of work to be done. But we still believe the agreement is indeed possible and necessary, and we will continue.” “Work tirelessly to achieve it.”

During the same press conference, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani stated that his country had received a “positive response” from Hamas to the framework agreement. However, the Qatari prime minister refused to provide further details about Hamas’s response at the joint press conference with the US Secretary of State.

In turn, Hamas announced that it had delivered its response regarding a possible truce agreement in the Gaza Strip to both Egypt and Qatar. Hamas said in a statement, “Hamas recently delivered its response regarding the framework agreement to the brothers in Qatar and Egypt,” stressing that it “dealt with the proposal in a positive spirit to ensure a comprehensive and complete ceasefire.” 

Egypt confirmed that Egyptian officials received Hamas’ response today, Tuesday, and the Egyptian State Information Service said in a statement, “Egypt will discuss all the details of the proposed framework with the parties concerned, including intensifying meetings with them, to reach an agreement among them on its final formula as soon as possible.”

Later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that the Mossad intelligence service was studying Hamas’ response to the truce proposal in Gaza.
The office’s statement said, “The Qatari mediator informed Mossad of Hamas’ response. The officials involved in the negotiations are carefully evaluating the details of (this response).”

These developments came during  US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s fifth tour in the region since the outbreak of the war. He visited Egypt before arriving in Doha and met with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. After visiting Qatar, the American minister headed to Israel, where he was expected to see the occupied West Bank.

During his new tour in the region, Blinken will discuss the truce proposal prepared during a meeting in late January in Paris between CIA Director William Burns and Egyptian, Israeli, and Qatari officials. 

A few days ago, a source in the Hamas movement revealed that the proposal includes three stages. In the first stage, it stipulates a truce lasting for six weeks, during which Israel will release between 200 and 300 Palestinian detainees in exchange for the release of 35 to 40 hostages held in Gaza, provided that Between 200 and 300 aid trucks can enter Gaza daily.

However, Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, was demanding a ceasefire and not a new truce. On the other hand, Israel stresses that it will not completely stop its war against Hamas in Gaza until it “eliminates” the armed movement, frees all the hostages, and receives guarantees regarding security in its territory after the movement’s terrorist attack on October 7, 2023.