Blinken: 'Generous' Offer Is Now in Hands of Hamas

Reports about a possible truce in the Israel-Hamas war sound relatively optimistic:

• In the Mideast, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the current offer on the table for Hamas is "extraordinarily generous." He spoke as Hamas negotiators were speaking with mediators from Egypt and Qatar, reports the BBC, which quotes a source close to the talks as "cautiously optimistic."
• "They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly," Blinken said of Hamas, per the AP. "So, we're looking to that, and I'm hopeful that they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic."

• The New York Times reports that Israel has made concessions, most notably by reducing to 33 the number of hostages it requires for a truce. The reduction appears to reflect the grim reality that fewer living hostages than thought remain in the custody of Hamas.
• An Israeli delegation is preparing to fly to Egypt on Tuesday to participate in mediated talks, but only if Hamas also sends a delegation, per the Times. The offer is for a 40-day truce.
• The developments come as pressure increases on Israel to strike a deal, including the looming threat of an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court.

(More Israel-Hamas war stories.)