Blinken: ‘We’re Determined to Try to Bridge the Gaps’ with Hamas

Reporter Despite your intense ░░░░░░░░ to pressure Hamas they ░░░░░░░░ don t seem to ░░░░░░░░ accepting the deal as ░░░░░░░░ Biden laid out and ░░░░░░░░ Israelis are characterizing this ░░░░░░░░ flat out rejection Does ░░░░░░░░ response count as a ░░░░░░░░ of the deal in ░░░░░░░░ view Do you think ░░░░░░░░ deal is essentially dead ░░░░░░░░ if not what exactly ░░░░░░░░ the U S diplomatic ░░░░░░░░ now to try and ░░░░░░░░ these talks alive and ░░░░░░░░ the parties closer together ░░░░░░░░ secondly the U S ░░░░░░░░ put all the emphasis ░░░░░░░░ pressuring Hamas at least ░░░░░░░░ but do you think ░░░░░░░░ might be time for ░░░░░░░░ U S to put ░░░░░░░░ pressure on Israel to ░░░░░░░░ them closer towards accepting ░░░░░░░░ permanent ceasefire that Hamas ░░░░░░░░ asked for even if ░░░░░░░░ allows the group to ░░░░░░░░ in some form And ░░░░░░░░ Minister even with the ░░░░░░░░ three phase deal that ░░░░░░░░ been created to try ░░░░░░░░ bridge the divide between ░░░░░░░░ and Hamas we still ░░░░░░░░ to be stuck on ░░░░░░░░ fundamental question of a ░░░░░░░░ versus a permanent truce ░░░░░░░░ is effectively will Israel ░░░░░░░░ Hamas to survive this ░░░░░░░░ you think these negotiations ░░░░░░░░ really be salvaged And ░░░░░░░░ is the risk to ░░░░░░░░ region if these talks ░░░░░░░░ to fail Thanks Blinken ░░░░░░░░ As I said based ░░░░░░░░ what we saw last ░░░░░░░░ the response from Hamas ░░░░░░░░ changes proposed to the ░░░░░░░░ that was on the ░░░░░░░░ and that the entire ░░░░░░░░ has gotten behind but ░░░░░░░░ of those are workable ░░░░░░░░ Some as I said ░░░░░░░░ not I don t ░░░░░░░░ to characterize it further ░░░░░░░░ you know at some ░░░░░░░░ in a negotiation and ░░░░░░░░ has gone back and ░░░░░░░░ for a long time ░░░░░░░░ get to a point ░░░░░░░░ if one side continues ░░░░░░░░ change its demands including ░░░░░░░░ demands and insisting on ░░░░░░░░ for things that had ░░░░░░░░ accepted you have to ░░░░░░░░ whether they re proceeding ░░░░░░░░ in good faith or ░░░░░░░░ But based on what ░░░░░░░░ ve seen and what ░░░░░░░░ ve discussed with the ░░░░░░░░ minister and what we ░░░░░░░░ with our Egyptian colleagues ░░░░░░░░ re determined to try ░░░░░░░░ bridge the gaps And ░░░░░░░░ believe those gaps are ░░░░░░░░ doesn t mean they ░░░░░░░░ be bridged because again ░░░░░░░░ ultimately depends on people ░░░░░░░░ yes But here s ░░░░░░░░ thing and we both ░░░░░░░░ it the longer this ░░░░░░░░ on and remember Hamas ░░░░░░░░ this for 12 days ░░░░░░░░ it s not as ░░░░░░░░ the world stood still ░░░░░░░░ those 12 days people ░░░░░░░░ suffering throughout those 12 ░░░░░░░░ the longer this goes ░░░░░░░░ the more people will ░░░░░░░░ And it s time ░░░░░░░░ the haggling to stop ░░░░░░░░ a ceasefire to start ░░░░░░░░ s as simple as ░░░░░░░░ Look Israel accepted the ░░░░░░░░ as it was And ░░░░░░░░ it is Hamas didn ░░░░░░░░ So I think it ░░░░░░░░ pretty clear what what ░░░░░░░░ to happen And we ░░░░░░░░ determined and they in ░░░░░░░░ coming days to again ░░░░░░░░ to work this We ░░░░░░░░ work this with urgency ░░░░░░░░ see if the gaps ░░░░░░░░ that are are workable ░░░░░░░░ can actually work and ░░░░░░░░ it to conclusion And ░░░░░░░░ it may be that ░░░░░░░░ continues to to say ░░░░░░░░ Well I think it ░░░░░░░░ be clear to everyone ░░░░░░░░ the world that it ░░░░░░░░ on them and that ░░░░░░░░ that they will have ░░░░░░░░ a choice to continue ░░░░░░░░ war that they started ░░░░░░░░ THANI Harding ph I ░░░░░░░░ your question about how ░░░░░░░░ we have this proposal ░░░░░░░░ become a permanent ceasefire ░░░░░░░░ is an issue that ░░░░░░░░ ve been struggling with ░░░░░░░░ a very long time ░░░░░░░░ how to ensure that ░░░░░░░░ bridge the gap between ░░░░░░░░ two fundamental differences between ░░░░░░░░ Hamas wants as a ░░░░░░░░ ceasefire and what Israel ░░░░░░░░ as a hostage release ░░░░░░░░ maybe a plan to ░░░░░░░░ the war I think ░░░░░░░░ we have achieved this ░░░░░░░░ is the best way ░░░░░░░░ bridge those gaps to ░░░░░░░░ both tracks and I ░░░░░░░░ that having —“