Blinken: Ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is very close

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that the long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is looming.

Blinken told the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Friday that negotiators are "moving toward the ultimate goal."

Ceasefire between Hamas and Israel

He continued by saying, "There are still some issues that need to be resolved and negotiated. And we are in the process of doing exactly that."

On May 31, US President Joe Biden unveiled an Israeli proposal for another truce, but talks have since failed to yield results.

It is worth noting that Hamas launched unprecedented attacks on Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, most of them civilians, including women and children, and holding about 250 hostages, according to official figures.

Heavy bombardment of Gaza

In response, Israel responded with heavy bombardment and ground operations that killed 39,000 people, most of them women and children, and wounded tens of thousands of civilians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israel had recovered 110 prisoners during a seven-day ceasefire that ended on December 1.

Israel says 120 hostages remain in Gaza, 32 of them women, children and elderly people who are to be released during an initial six-week suspension of hostilities under Biden’s draft deal.

However, two people familiar with the negotiations said Hamas insists it has only 18 living hostages in that category.

Israel responded that Hamas “must return some military-age hostages to get closer to the quota of 32,” but the Palestinian movement said that the release of detainees in that category “will only happen during the ceasefire.”