U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said that negotiators were on the brink of an agreement on a Gaza cease-fire and hostage deal, adding that parties are awaiting final word from Hamas.
"It's right on the brink. It's closer than it's ever been before. But, right now, as we sit here, we await final word from Hamas on its acceptance, and until we get that word, we'll remain on the brink," Blinken said during an event at the Atlantic Council.
“The ball is now in Hamas’ court. If Hamas accepts, the deal is ready to be concluded and implement it. I believe we will get a ceasefire. Whether we get there in the remaining days of our administration, or after January 20, the deal will follow closely the terms of the agreement that President Biden put forward last May and that our administration rallied the world behind,” he said.
Blinken added that post-war Gaza should be under the control of the Palestinian Authority but with interim roles for foreign players and the United Nations.
"We believe that the Palestinian Authority should invite international partners to help establish and run an interim administration with responsibility for key civil sectors in Gaza," Blinken said, revealing a long-awaited plan for post-war Gaza as his term ends.
“You have to look at what would be enduring and what would make sure that the program doesn’t come back. So one of the things you have to assess is: If that were to happen, would Iran simply rebuild and rebuild even deeper underground in a place that would be even harder to get to?” Blinken responds.
Blinken also criticized both the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority. “Israelis must abandon the myth that they can carry out de facto annexation without cost and consequence to Israel’s democracy, to its standing, and to its security,” he said.
He pointed to rapid settlement expansion, stating that “Israel is expanding official settlements and nationalizing land at a faster clip than any time in the last decade while turning a blind eye to unprecedented growth in illegal outposts.”
Blinken also expressed concern over rising settler violence, adding: “Violent attacks by extremist settlers against Palestinian civilians have reached record levels.”
The Americans are very active in behind-the-scenes negotiations, and are supporting the talks with a strong presence that includes the CIA team, Biden's envoy Brett McGurk, and Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff.
Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad, which is also holding hostages, announced that a senior delegation from the organization would arrive in Doha Tuesday night to participate in the talks on the hostage deal.
The Saudi television channel Al-Hadath reported Tuesday evening, citing sources, that in the Gaza Strip, "hostage-takers have begun to be transferred to safe places in preparation for the implementation of the agreement." It was also reported that "Hamas has begun dividing the hostages into groups in preparation for their release." In addition, the report said, "some disputes between Israel and Hamas have been resolved, and Israel has agreed to the request not to re-arrest prisoners after their release. In addition, an agreement was reached to stop all future attacks on Hamas leaders."
The Qatari channel Al-Arabi reported, citing Egyptian sources, that "the authorities responsible for operating the Rafah crossing have received official notices calling on them to prepare for its opening within days." According to the report, "Israel will evacuate the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing when the cease-fire agreement comes into effect."
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The Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed noted, citing Palestinian sources, that the IDF had begun dismantling infrastructure it had built on the Netzarim Corridor in preparation for the hostage deal. According to the report, "local eyewitnesses in Gaza said that military transport vehicles entered the Netzarim Corridor, one of the important strategic points in the Strip, and began the process of dismantling military towers in the west of the corridor."
The Saudi television network Al-Arabiya added that "coordination has begun with intermediaries and the Red Cross regarding the transfer of the hostages."