Blinken touches down in Qatar for talks on ceasefire-hostage deal proposal

DOHA, Qatar — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken touches down in Doha for talks with key mediator Qatar after Hamas gave its response to a US-led proposal for a ceasefire-hostage deal in war-ravaged Gaza.

Blinken, on a four-country swing around the Middle East to push Hamas to accept the truce plan, will meet the top leadership in the gas-rich Gulf state, which has transmitted messages to the Palestinian militant group.

Hamas, responding to the plan laid out on May 31 by President Joe Biden, proposed amendments late Tuesday including a ceasefire timeline and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, according to a source familiar with the talks.

The Biden plan calls for an Israeli withdrawal from “major population centers” and a ceasefire for six weeks, which would then be extended as negotiators reach a permanent deal.

The White House said Tuesday that the United States was “evaluating” the reply.

US officials had privately expected Hamas to insist on at least some changes rather than accepting the entire deal immediately and wanted to see if there was enough common ground to hammer out differences with Israel.

Biden is eager to end a war that has taken a mounting toll on civilians and turned parts of his Democratic Party base against him months ahead of a razor-close election.

Blinken will meet in Doha with both the emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who is also the emirate’s top diplomat, the State Department said.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.