Speaking at a World Economic Forum meeting in Saudi Arabia yesterday, Antony Blinken said: "Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel.
"They have to decide and they have to decide quickly... I'm hopeful that they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic." The UK foreign secretary, David Cameron, told the same gathering that Hamas should accept the dealfor a "sustained 40 days' ceasefire", adding: "I hope Hamas do take this deal and, frankly, all the pressure in the world and all the eyes in the world should be on them today saying 'take that deal' accept the generosity of the offer of a ceasefire that has been negotiated with Israel."
International leaders have renewed efforts to broker a ceasefire in the nearly seven-month-old conflict in recent days. Israel's mounting preparations for a ground operation in Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's 2.3-million population has sought shelter from fighting elsewhere, mean this week's talks in Cairo may be the last opportunity for negotiations to free Israeli hostages and pause or end the war.
A Hamas delegation, including the Palestinian militant group's deputy Gaza chief, Khalil al-Hayya, was expected in the Egyptian capital yesterday to respond to Israel's latest truce and hostage release proposal via Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
Blinken, on his seventh visit to the region since the war broke out, is expected to next visit Israel to discuss the negotiations.
Israel has not publicly confirmed whether it is also sending a delegation to Cairo.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Carse gives thanks after England return
Brydon Carse has expressed his thanks to the \"incredibly supportive\" England setup after his rapid reintegration following his ban, and hopes to repay the faith shown in him, first in the remaining one-day internationals against Australia and then in the Test series in Pakistan that follows immediately.
Evenepoel and Brown win races against time once more
The double Olympic gold medallist Remco Evenepoel successfully defended the world time trial title he won in last year's World Road Championships in Glasgow, with victory in this year's event in Zurich.
All or nothing Manchester City should either be vindicated or damned by hearing
Let's start by going back to December 2016.
Pylons v property Why disputed power lines may not hit house prices
The village of Beauly, near Inverness, marks the starting point of what was once Britain's largest and most controversial power grid project: a 137-mile electricity superhighway from the quiet Highlands village to a large substation in Denny near Falkirk.
Losses from obesity higher than weight loss jab costs
Rising healthcare costs and productivity losses from the global obesity crisis far outstrip the cost of new weight-loss drugs, according to a report, which also calls on governments to prioritise prevention by promoting a healthy diet.
Diesel and petrol prices fall at fastest rate since December
The price of petrol and diesel in the UK is falling at the fastest pace this year, with households paying about £4 less to fill up a family car than they did a month ago.
Tech firms must help refund victims of fraud, says HSBC
HSBC has thrown its weight behind calls for tech firms to pay up for fraud, saying incoming compensation rules requiring banks to reimburse scam victims up to £85,000 will fail to stem the flow of fraud, and prove that the financial sector is not the problem.
Succession drama Fox News fate at stake as Murdochs take family shares to court
One family succession battle is gripping the media and dominating water cooler conversations at the New York headquarters of Fox News.
Leftist Dissanayake wins Sri Lankan presidential election after historic runoff
A Marxist leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has won Sri Lanka's presidential election, in what is being seen as a widespread rejection of the old political elite blamed for the country's continuing economic woes.
Gaza Seven killed in Israeli airstrike on school shelter
Seven people were killed yesterday after an Israeli airstrike hit a school housing displaced people in western Gaza City, Palestinian health officials said, amid fears that Gaza's worsening humanitarian crisis might be forgotten as tensions boil between Hezbollah and Israel.