[REUTERS]
US special envoy, Steve Witkoff says Hamas had every opportunity to demilitarize and accept the bridging proposal, but “they elected not to. He stated on Sunday to Fox News.
Hamas “is the aggressor here,” Witkoff added. “So this is on Hamas. The United States stands with the state of Israel.”
Hamas is responsible for the renewed fighting in Gaza after rejecting efforts to move forward with what had been an “acceptable deal,” Witkoff added.
“Would we be amenable to a reach out from Hamas? Of course, we would be – no different than in the Russian conflict (in Ukraine). We want to end the killing, but we need to be clear who the aggressor is here, and that is Hamas,” he said. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza after Hamas attacked Israeli communities around the strip on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, according to an Israeli tally, and abducting 251 others as hostages.
Concerning Iran, Witkoff stated that they cannot gain access to a nuclear weapon, saying, “It cannot happen, and it will not happen.”
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He also stated that the US and Iran should sit down and see if the two countries can reach the “right place through diplomacy.”
Witkoff also expressed optimism ahead of high-stakes talks to end the war in Ukraine and said that he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted peace.
What is the bridging proposal?
The US State Department said on Wednesday there was still “a bridge proposal on the table that would extend the ceasefire” in Gaza, but the opportunity for it was “closing fast.”
Witkoff’s “bridge” plan, presented earlier in March, aimed to extend the ceasefire into April, beyond the holidays of Ramadan and Passover, to allow time for negotiations on a permanent cessation of hostilities.
“Right now, we still have a bridge proposal on the table that would extend the ceasefire and see the release of five live hostages, including American Edan Alexander. It would also see the release of a substantial number of Palestinians held in Israeli jails,” a State Department spokesperson said, blaming Palestinian Hamas militants.
“The opportunity is still there, but it’s closing fast.”
