By CAIRO — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken continued his diplomatic push for a Gaza cease-fire on Tuesday, meeting with mediators in Egypt and Qatar, as both Hamas and Israel signaled persistent challenges to reaching an agreement.
Blinken’s latest mission in the region comes amid heightened tensions following Israel’s recovery of the bodies of six hostages taken during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, and recent targeted killings of militant leaders that have raised fears of a wider regional conflict.
In a new statement, Hamas called the latest cease-fire proposal a “reversal” of previously agreed terms, accusing the United States of acquiescing to what it termed “new conditions” from Israel. The U.S. State Department has not immediately responded to these claims.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told relatives of hostages that a key objective is to “preserve our strategic security assets in the face of great pressures from home and abroad.” Netanyahu specifically mentioned the “capture” of a narrow buffer zone along the Gaza-Egypt border, known as the Philadelphi corridor, a move opposed by both Hamas and Egypt.
The Israeli military announced Tuesday it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in an overnight operation in southern Gaza. The recovery operation, while a blow to Hamas’ negotiating position, is likely to increase pressure on Netanyahu’s government to reach a deal for the remaining hostages believed to be alive.
The recovered remains were identified as Chaim Perry, 80; Yoram Metzger, 80; Avraham Munder, 79; Alexander Dancyg, 76; Nadav Popplewell, 51; and Yagev Buchshtav, 35. Four of the deceased had family members who were abducted but freed during a November cease-fire.
Kibbutz Nir Oz, where Munder was among approximately 80 residents taken captive, confirmed his death, stating he died “after enduring months of physical and mental torture.” Israeli authorities had previously determined that the other five were deceased.
Netanyahu praised the recovery effort, expressing that “our hearts ache for the terrible loss,” and vowed to make every effort to bring all hostages home, dead or alive.
Hamas is believed to still be holding around 110 hostages captured in the Oct. 7 attack. Israeli authorities estimate about a third of them are dead. The militant group burst through Israel’s defenses on that day, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and militants. The campaign has caused widespread destruction and displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, often multiple times.
Blinken’s meetings in Egypt and Qatar follow his talks with Netanyahu in Israel on Monday, where he said the prime minister had accepted a U.S. proposal to bridge gaps between Israel and Hamas. The secretary called on Hamas to do the same.
However, significant differences remain between the two sides, including Israel’s demand for lasting control over strategic corridors in Gaza, which Hamas has rejected.
The diplomatic efforts have taken on increased urgency following recent targeted killings of militant leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah in Iran and Lebanon, both blamed on Israel, and subsequent vows of retaliation.
As negotiations continue, violence persists. An Israeli airstrike on Tuesday killed at least 10 people at a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City, which the military claimed was a precise strike on a Hamas command center. Another strike in central Gaza killed a mother and her five children.
The Palestinian Civil Defense, operating under the Hamas-run government, reported that around 700 people were sheltering at the Mustafa Hafez school in Gaza City when it was hit. They continue to search for survivors.
In central Gaza, an airstrike killed five children and their mother, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. The hospital reported that the father, Alaa Abu Zeid, a schoolteacher, has been in Israeli detention for the past nine months.
As Blinken continues his diplomatic mission, the international community watches closely for signs of progress towards a cease-fire that could bring relief to the besieged Gaza Strip and secure the release of remaining hostages.
