Blinken Visits Saudi Arabia, Urges Hamas to Accept Truce Deal

Facts

• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Hamas to accept the recent 'extraordinarily generous' peace proposal from Israel as he spoke at a special World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Riyadh on Monday.¹
• He also stated that the conflict in Gaza is 'arguably the worst crisis in Middle East since 1948,' adding that the resulting 'terrible human suffering' could have been avoided if Hamas had 'put down its weapons and given back the hostages.'²
• The offer for a 40-day cease-fire reportedly includes the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza, as well as the prospect of restoring calm and returning displaced families to northern Gaza.³
• While this is said to be the first time that Israel has indicated that it would accept a cease-fire for longer than six weeks, a Hamas political leader told NBC News on Monday that some issues still need careful discussions and clear confirmation.⁴
• The top US diplomat, who met privately with his Saudi counterpart, further highlighted their 'intense work' over the past months toward a potential Saudi-Israeli normalization, which he claims would be a significant rebuke to Iran and Hamas.⁵
• Blinken is expected to speak next with Arab and European diplomats about the post-war rebuilding and governing of Gaza, before heading to Jordan and Israel on Tuesday.⁶

Sources: ¹Times of Israel, ²US Department of State, ³BBC News, ⁴NBC, ⁵Arab News and ⁶New York Times.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. With the backing of both the US and UK, Israel has softened its stance significantly — dropping its demand from the release of 40 hostages to 33 in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners and a truce that would last more than a month. Both sides desperately want a ceasefire, so it's time for Hamas to accept this generous offer.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Al Arabiya. Israel isn't willingly making these offers, it's just being told to do so as public backlash increases. After decades of oppression and a deadly collective punishment since Oct 7, only a two-state solution can bring calm to the Middle East. Regional leaders have helped as much as they possibly could — now it's time for Israel to give a humanitarian hand.

Predictions