1 of 3 | U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday he believes a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza (pictured) is within the “10-yard line.” Photo by Saber Arar/UPI | License Photo
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he believes a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is within the “10-yard line.”
Blinken made the comments Friday during a security forum, ahead of next week’s visit by Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, D.C. Advertisement
“I believe we’re inside the 10-yard line and driving toward the goal line in getting an agreement that would produce a cease-fire, get the hostages home and put us on a better track to trying to build lasting peace and stability,” Blinken said during the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado.
“We often know the last 10 yards are often the hardest.”
The comments come just days after the secretary of state warned the civilian death toll in Gaza remained “unacceptably high,” during a meeting with senior Israeli government officials following Israeli Defense Forces airstrikes.
Blinken said Hamas has signed on to the framework of a deal, making him hopeful an agreement can be reached to free the remaining hostages held by the militant group and end Israel’s military campaign in the besieged Palestinian enclave. Advertisement
“What we can’t have is an agreement that’s followed by some kind of void,” Blinken told the forum.
“If it’s there, by Hamas coming back, which is unacceptable; by Israel prolonging its occupation, which they say they don’t want to do and is unacceptable; or just having a vacuum that’s filled by lawlessness.”
Blinken did not directly answer a question from the moderator about allegations Netanyahu had previously worked to undermine earlier attempts at negotiating a ceasefire.
“I’m not focused on personalities, I’m focused on policies,” the Secretary of State said.
“And we want to make sure as we go forward with anyone, whether it’s our Israeli allies or anyone else, that we reach agreements on the concrete steps to be taken to move whatever it is we’re trying to move forward.”
