The United States is working intensively with Israel and intermediaries Qatar and Egypt to bridge remaining gaps for a hostage deal that would see a pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says.
Blinken, speaking during a visit to Austria, says Israel sending a team reflected “a sense of both possibility and of urgency” to reach an agreement on the release of hostages.
“Yes, there has been a counter-proposal put forward by Hamas. I obviously can’t get into the details of what that involves, but what I can tell you is we’re working intensively with Israel, with Qatar, with Egypt, to bridge the remaining gaps and to try to reach an agreement,” Blinken says.
“We have conversations that are happening now, as we speak here, and I am convinced they’ll go on into the coming days,” Blinken tells reporters.
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