Blinken warns Israel and Hamas of last chance to end Gaza war

JERUSALEM/CAIRO - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Monday that the latest push for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal was probably the best and possibly last opportunity, urging Israel and Hamas towards an elusive agreement.

However, with Palestinian Islamist group Hamas announcing a resumption of suicide bombing inside Israel after many years, and with Israeli airstrikes still pounding Gaza, there was little sign of conciliation.

Hamas and another militant group, Islamic Jihad, said they were behind a blast near a synagogue in Tel Aviv on Sunday that killed the bomber and wounded one other person. Suicide bombings "will return to the forefront" while the Gaza war continues, Hamas said in a statement.

The talks in Qatar last week paused without a breakthrough, but the negotiations are to resume this week based on a U.S. "bridging proposal".

Blinken met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday morning.

"This is a decisive moment, probably the best, maybe the last opportunity to get the hostages home, to get a ceasefire and to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security," Blinken told reporters before meeting Herzog.

Netanyahu's office said the prime minister "reiterated Israel's commitment to the latest American proposal regarding the release of our hostages - taking into account Israel's security needs".

Months of on-off talks have circled the same issues, with Israel saying the war can only end with the destruction of Hamas as a military and political force and Hamas saying it will only accept a permanent, and not a temporary, ceasefire.

There are disagreements over Israel's continued military presence inside Gaza, particularly along the border with Egypt, over the free movement of Palestinians inside the territory, and over the identity and number of prisoners to be freed in a swap.

Despite U.S. expressions of optimism, both Israel and Hamas have signalled that a deal will be difficult.

Hamas accused Netanyahu on Sunday of "thwarting the mediators efforts" and Turkey said Hamas envoys had told it that U.S. officials were "painting an overly optimistic picture".

Netanyahu told Israel's cabinet on Sunday that "we are conducting negotiations and not a scenario in which we just give and give", his office said.

However, a U.S. official, asked if Hamas' comments amounted to a rejection of the deal, said Washington believed the bridging proposal it outlined last week addressed various concerns and would iron out difficult implementation aspects.

Egyptian security sources said further ceasefire talks in Cairo this week were contingent on agreement over a security mechanism for the so-called Philadelphi Corridor between Egypt and Gaza. The U.S. has proposed an international presence in the area, a suggestion that could be acceptable if it was limited to a maximum of six months, the sources said.

REGION ON EDGE

The current war in Gaza began on Oct. 7 last year when Hamas gunmen stormed across the border into Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and abducting about 250 hostages according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's military campaign has since levelled swathes of Gaza, driving nearly all of its 2.3 million people from their homes, giving rise to deadly hunger and disease and killing at least 40,000 people according to Palestinian health authorities.

Blinken's visit comes as U.S. President Joe Biden faces mounting pressure over his stance on the conflict, with his Democratic party holding its national convention on Monday amid worries about Muslim and Arab-American votes in swing states.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri was dismissive of the chances that Blinken would press Netanyahu to accept a deal. "Blinken acts as if he was a minister in Netanyahu's government," Zuhri told Reuters.

Families of Israeli hostages, who have staged protests urging a deal, spoke out again on Monday. "Don't sacrifice my daughter and the dozens of helpless hostages," said Ayelet Levy-Shachar on Kan Radio. Her daughter Naama, 20, was captured at an army base.

Inside Gaza, Palestinians said they had little optimism that Blinken's visit would bring a ceasefire.

"They are lying just to destroy us more and more. Kill us and kill our children, starve us and make us homeless. Blinken is useless, his visit will harm the Palestinian people," said Hanan Abu Hamid, who was displaced from her home in Rafah.

The conflict has put the entire Middle East region on edge, triggering months of border clashes between Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, and threatening a wider escalation drawing in major powers.

Blinken warned against any provocations. "It's also time to make sure that no one takes any steps that could derail this process."

Israel's military said there had been more Hezbollah drone strikes on the country's north near the frontier with Lebanon on Monday. Blinken is to meet Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant after meeting Netanyahu.

In the latest Gaza fighting, Israeli military advances north of Khan Younis on Monday reached the coastal road, effectively cutting access between the city and areas to the north, residents said. They said fierce clashes could be heard.