Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri criticized U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, accusing him of unfairly blaming Hamas for the delay in reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
During Blinken’s discussions with Israeli leaders about providing more aid to Gaza, he has consistently urged Hamas to accept Israel’s offer, which he described as “extremely generous.”
Abu Zuhri, however, disagreed with Blinken’s characterization, stating that it contradicts the actual situation. He also pointed out that even the Israeli negotiating team acknowledged that Prime Minister Netanyahu was the obstacle to reaching an agreement.
Regarding the recent ceasefire proposal, Abu Zuhri mentioned that Hamas is still evaluating it. Hamas is pushing for a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. On the other hand, Netanyahu insists on neutralizing remaining Hamas units in Rafah, southern Gaza, whether or not a deal with Hamas is reached, citing Israel’s security concerns.
