Blinken's Continued Efforts for Ceasefire; UN Accuses Israel and Hamas of 'War Crimes'

As the United Nations announced that both Israel and the extremist group Hamas have committed war crimes in Gaza, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is working to bridge the gap between the parties to reach a ceasefire agreement. Blinken, who traveled to Qatar, stated on Wednesday that Hamas has proposed 'multiple changes' in response to the ceasefire proposal in Gaza, some of which are 'unworkable.' However, he emphasized that Washington and mediators will strive to close the gap between the Palestinian militant group and Israel. Hamas officially responded on Tuesday to the U.S. ceasefire proposal put forth by President Joe Biden on May 23, which includes a ceasefire and the gradual release of Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel, ultimately leading to a permanent end to the war. In a press conference in Doha, Blinken remarked, 'Hamas could have responded with one word: yes. Instead, it waited nearly two weeks and then proposed further changes, some of which go beyond the positions it had previously taken and accepted.' Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the European Union. A Hamas official told Reuters that their response emphasizes that the ceasefire must lead to a permanent end to hostilities in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the reconstruction of Palestinian territories, and the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. According to the U.S. Secretary of State, some of Hamas's counter-proposals are 'workable,' and he believes the gaps that remain between the two sides can be bridged. The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have played a mediating role between Hamas and Israel in recent months and have worked to secure the release of over 100 individuals held captive in Gaza. Blinken stated that his country, along with Egypt and Qatar, will increase pressure to reach an 'agreement' in the coming days. He added, 'We are determined to close the gaps, and I believe these gaps are solvable. But again, [reaching this agreement] ultimately depends on the people saying yes.' Ezzat al-Reshiq, a member of Hamas's political bureau, previously stated that the group's response to the ceasefire proposal made by President Biden on May 23 is 'responsible, serious, and positive and opens the way for an agreement.' An Israeli official, who wished to remain anonymous, stated on Tuesday that the government received the response through mediators. He added, 'Hamas changed all the key elements in this plan in its response and rejected the proposal regarding the release of hostages.' John Kirby: The U.S. is reviewing Hamas's response to the ceasefire plan in Gaza. The UN's position on 'war crimes' in Gaza has concluded that both Israel and Hamas committed 'war crimes' at the beginning of the Gaza war, and Israel's operations in the strip also constitute 'crimes against humanity' due to the high civilian casualties. These accusations, announced on Wednesday, are the results of investigations by two UN expert committees, one focusing on the events of October 7 and the other on Israel's military response to that attack. The Israeli government, which did not cooperate with these investigative commissions, described the findings as biased against Israel. Hamas has not yet responded to the findings of these investigations. The war in Gaza began with Israel's military response to a surprise attack by Hamas militants on Israeli territory on October 7. In this attack, approximately 1,200 Israelis, most of whom were civilians, were killed, and over 250 were taken hostage. According to statistics from the Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, more than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed due to Israeli attacks in the eight months since the war began. The UN Secretary-General has listed Israel among the 'violators of children's rights.' According to the UN and other international relief organizations, the majority of the 2.3 million population of this strip have been displaced multiple times, many suffer from hunger, and most residential buildings and infrastructure in Gaza have been destroyed. In these eight months, only one temporary ceasefire lasting a few days has been established, and about 120 hostages were released in exchange for the release of several hundred Palestinian prisoners, but more than 100 hostages remain in Hamas captivity. The UN's investigative report, announced in Geneva, has examined the Gaza war until the end of December. This investigation concluded that both sides committed war crimes, including torture, murder or deliberate killing, violations of human dignity, and cruel and inhumane treatment. The UN expert committees in their report state that Israel, in addition to these war crimes, has also committed other crimes, including exploiting hunger as a weapon of war. The report adds: 'Israel has not only failed to meet the basic needs of Gaza residents such as food, water, medicine, and shelter, but has also obstructed the provision of these essentials by any other country or organization.' The UN investigative committee added that some of the crimes committed by Israel, such as the killing and slaughter of civilians, also constitute 'crimes against humanity.' A section of this report states: 'The high number of civilian casualties, widespread destruction of buildings and infrastructure in Gaza is the inevitable result of a strategy aimed at causing maximum destruction and damage, executed with complete disregard for fundamental principles, such as distinction in targeting, proportional use of military force, and necessary precautions to avoid harming civilians. The reports and documents collected and compiled by the UN investigative committees can serve as the basis for filing cases against perpetrators for committing war crimes. The International Criminal Court, whose chief prosecutor requested an arrest warrant last month for the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Israel and three Hamas leaders on charges of committing war crimes, can refer to these investigations and the documents contained therein.