Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire Deal Inside ‘10-Yard Line,’ Blinken Says

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the months-long, US-led effort to negotiate a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas militants is close to succeeding, but cautioned there are still some thorny issues to tackle. 

“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 try and build lasting peace and stability,” Blinken said at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Friday.

“We also know that with anything, the last 10 yards are often the hardest,” he said, leaning further into the American football metaphor. “So I don’t want to be in any way naive about it.”

“The question now is finishing the negotiation of some critical details,” he added.

The comments from the top US diplomat reflect growing optimism within the Biden administration that the US — along with Egyptian and Qatari negotiators — might be close to winding down the war after nearly 10 months. 

Negotiations have recently focused on several key sticking points, including which hostages should be released, people with knowledge of the talks said earlier this week.

The others include Israeli demands that Hamas be barred from northern Gaza, that Israeli forces retain control of a key southern border corridor and that they should not be bound to an indefinite cease-fire.

The conflict erupted after Hamas, a US and EU-designated terrorist group, stormed into southern Israel, killing 1,200 and kidnapping about 250. More than 38,000 Palestinians have died in the fighting, according to Hamas, which doesn’t distinguish between fighters and civilians.

Blinken said on Friday that Hamas has agreed to the framework of President Joe Biden’s multi-phase cease-fire proposal.

The optimism comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to visit Washington next week, where he will address a joint session of Congress. 

Cease-fire negotiations have stalled for months over the central issue of whether an initial halt to the fighting, which would allow hostages to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, would be temporary or permanent. 

Netanyahu has long insisted he wants to free the hostages, but still wants to eliminate Hamas, while Hamas leaders have held that they won’t stop the fighting unless the truce is permanent.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.