Blinken: Hamas has called for changes to the ceasefire proposal.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday in Doha that Hamas has requested some changes in the Gaza ceasefire proposal and that some of them may be considered.

But he added that some of Hamas' proposals go beyond what the group had earlier accepted in talks on a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages held in Gaza”.

“We are determined to try to bridge the gap with Hamas”, Mr. Blinken said at a joint press conference with Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani after a meeting with him.

US Secretary of State stressed that if Hamas continues to oppose efforts to overcome disputes, it will clearly show that the “at have chosen the continuation of the war in Gaza”.

United States officials Qatar and Egypt are considering Hamas' response Tuesday to the Gaza ceasefire proposal.

Hamas' top official, Osama Hamdan, denied that the Palestinian Islamic group had presented new ideas about the ceasefire. During a TV interview Al-Arabiı, he reiterated Hamas' stance that it was Israel who was refusing the proposals and accused the US administration of supporting its close ally to “alleged any commitments” to the Gaza ceasefire plan.

John Kirby, spokesman for the White House for National Security, told reporters earlier that Hamas gave his answer to Qatar and Egypt on Tuesday, and that the United States believes the answer has the approval of Hamas' top leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar.

Mr. Kirby refused to give many details, since he said such a thing could damage the negotiation process.

“The situation is very delicate and we have many factors to consider, especially the lives of hostages and their families. We need to be very, very careful about what we say and what we say to”, he said.

Hamas and the other smaller militant group Islamic Jihad say they are willing to see “in positive light the possibility of a “agreement, giving priority to the full end “of the war.

“Hamas confirms that any agreement should end the parastic aggression against our people, predict the removal of Israeli forces, the reconstruction of Gaza and a serious commitment to the exchange of prisoners,” said a Hamas official.

US President Joe Biden made public details of the ceasefire proposal. He and other American officials have repeatedly stressed that it is an Israeli proposal. Secretary Blinken said on Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his commitment to the deal.

Among the parties are possible points of disagreement, including Hamas' request that Israel withdraw forces from Gaza and Israel's stance that his aim is to defeat Hamas.

In the initial phase, the proposal envisions the ban on fighting, the release of several hostages from Gaza, the release of several Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, an increase in humanitarian aid to Palestinians, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza's populated areas and the return of Palestinian civilians to their homes.

The second phase envisions a permanent break in fighting in exchange for releasing all other hostages to Gaza and a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

The final phase includes a multi-year reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, most of which has been destroyed by eight months of Israeli bombings. It also envisions the return of the remains of the dead hostages to Gaza. / VOA