Israel's Netanyahu supports new bridging proposal for Gaza truce: Blinken

JERUSALEM, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Israel has accepted a new proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

During a press conference in Tel Aviv, Blinken said that Netanyahu "confirmed that Israel approves" the new U.S.-backed bridging proposal. The proposal was presented to Israel and Hamas by Qatari, Egyptian, and U.S. mediators over the weekend.

Blinken urged Hamas to approve the bridging proposal, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the suffering in Gaza, where more than 40,000 have been killed in Israeli assaults, and the need to release the hostages still held by Hamas.

Blinken visited Israel amid ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, before heading to Egypt and Qatar, key mediators in the negotiations.

Netanyahu released a video statement during Blinken's press conference, referring to his meeting with Blinken as "good and important," but did not explicitly voice support for the bridging proposal.

The prime minister said the United States "showed understanding to our vital security needs amid joint efforts to release our hostages."

Hamas had previously dismissed the bridging proposal, claiming it was too aligned with Israel's demands, particularly concerning Israel's insistence on maintaining military forces within the Palestinian enclave, and accused Israel of introducing new demands.