Blinken: Some of Hamas's demands cannot be implemented

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stressed on Wednesday that "reaching a prisoner exchange and calm deal requires concessions from Israel and Hamas."

He said during a press conference in Doha with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken: "We are committed with partners to bridging the gaps to reach a deal on Gaza."

He also added, "Reaching an agreement that ends the war in Gaza saves the region from a wider conflict."

He added, "We want sustainable solutions that ensure stability in Gaza and the West Bank."

US President's Proposal

For his part, Blinken stressed that US President Joe Biden's proposal is the best opportunity on the table to end the suffering in Gaza, and "ensures the release of detainees and sets a path to end the war."

He also added that "Hamas has proposed changes to Biden's proposal, some of which are implementable," noting that some of the movement's demands regarding the proposed deal cannot be met.

He added that "Hamas should have accepted the proposal as it is," stressing that "if the movement adheres to the option of rejection, it will be clear that it has chosen war."

Blinken also explained that "it is time to stop bargaining and start a truce in Gaza."

Stages of a ceasefire

He also stressed that "the gaps between the demands of Israel and Hamas can be bridged," stating: "We will continue to work with mediators to bridge the gaps to reach an agreement."

While he stressed that "we do not want to see fundamental changes to Biden's proposal regarding Gaza."

He also pointed out that "we will not allow Hamas to control the future of Gaza."

He added: "We are working daily to increase the flow of aid to Gaza," adding: "We will soon reveal a plan to rebuild Gaza."

This comes as the efforts of mediators (Egypt, Qatar and the United States) continue to push towards reaching an agreement between Israel and Hamas to cease fire in the Gaza Strip, after receiving the movement's response yesterday.

It is noteworthy that the proposal, whose threads were previously revealed by Biden, confirming that Israel had prepared it, included 3 stages for a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange between the two parties.

In the first stage, the two sides, Hamas and Israel, are committed to an immediate and complete ceasefire, with the release of some female and elderly prisoners, and the return of the remains of some prisoners.

While the second stage includes a permanent cessation of hostilities in exchange for the release of all Israeli prisoners still held in Gaza since October 7, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the entire Strip. During the third stage, a major reconstruction plan will begin over several years, and the remains of any Israeli prisoners still in Gaza will be returned.