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After holding talks with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected as “delusional” a counterproposal by Hamas to a hostage deal brokered by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from the State Department.
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/Script BLINKEN-ISRAEL-HAMAS
HEADLINE: Israel Rejects Hamas Hostage Proposal, Calling It ‘Delusional’
TEASER: After talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israel says only an absolute victory over Hamas will guarantee the security of the Israeli people
PUBLISHED AT: 02/07/2024 at 8:24 pm
BYLINE: Cindy Saine
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: State Department
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Mia Bush, David Jones (bal), Reifenrath
VIDEO SOURCE (S): MRT Blinken, AFP, AP, Reuters
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO _x_
TRT: 3:05
VID APPROVED BY: mia
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES: This package contains graphic content of Palestinians gathering around the bodies of their loved ones at a hospital in Rafah.))
((INTRO: ))
[[After holding talks with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected as “delusional” a counterproposal by Hamas to a hostage deal brokered by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from the State Department.]]
((NARRATOR))
Wednesday marked four months since the October 7th cross-border attacks by Hamas that killed 1,200 people in Israel and saw the U.S.-designated terrorist group taking some 240 people hostage. About 135 hostages are still unaccounted for. Ceremonies were held in cities around the world, including Paris.
The top U.S. diplomat, Antony Blinken, is in the Middle East to push for the release of the hostages, including six Americans, and an extended pause in the fighting to get more humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed a proposal by Hamas, which reportedly called for the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza.
[[radio: Netanyahu said that he told Secretary of State Blinken that after defeating Hamas, Israel would make sure that Gaza is demilitarized for good. History, he said, has already proved that only one force can promise such a thing, the state of Israel through the IDF and its security forces.]]
((Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister)) [[in Hebrew with English voiceover]]
“Today, I told Secretary of State Blinken that after defeating Hamas, we will make sure that Gaza be demilitarized for good. The history already proved that there is only one force that can promise such a thing, the state of Israel through the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] and our security forces.”
((NARRATOR))
At a separate press conference late Wednesday, Blinken had this to say about the Hamas counteroffer.
((Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State))
“While there are some clear nonstarters in Hamas' response, we just think it creates space for agreement to be reached, and we will work at that relentlessly until we get there."
((NARRATOR))
In Tel Aviv, a group of freed Israeli hostages appealed to Netanyahu to push for a hostage deal.
[[Radio: Freed hostage Adina Moshe said, " Again, I am turning to you Mr. Netanyahu, everything is in your hands, you are the one that can and I am very scared, very afraid, that if you continue in this line of bringing down Hamas, there won't be any hostages to free anymore.]]
((Adina Moshe, Released Israeli Hostage (female, Hebrew))
“Again, I am turning to you Mr. Netanyahu, everything is in your hands, you are the one that can and I am very scared, very afraid, that if you continue in this line of bringing down Hamas, there won't be any hostages to free anymore."
((NARRATOR))
In his talks with Israeli officials, Blinken said that the death toll of Palestinians in Gaza is still far too high, and that any military operation against Hamas needs to put the safety of civilians first and foremost.
According to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 27,478 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7th. About 70% of those killed are reported to be women and children. More than 66,800 Palestinians have reportedly been injured.
((NARRATOR))
Blinken also held talks in Ramallah in the West Bank with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Blinken will hold more talks in Israel on Thursday and plans to meet with the families of hostages held by Hamas.
((Cindy Saine, VOA News, the State Department))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
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NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)the State Department
Embargo DateFebruary 7, 2024 22:32 EST
Byline
Cindy Saine, VOA News
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
