Hamas ‘will not be allowed to decide future’ of region, says Blinken

The US secretary of state has said Hamas “cannot and will not be allowed” to decide the future of people in the region after the group proposed “numerous” changes to a US-backed ceasefire plan.

Antony Blinken made the comments in Qatar on his eighth visit to the region since the start of the war.

He said the US and its partners were working on a post-war plan and that they would put forward “proposals for key elements, including concrete ideas for how to manage governance, security, reconstruction.”

Mr Blinken is in the region to push a ceasefire proposal with global support that has not been fully embraced by Israel or Hamas.

The militant group submitted its first official response late on Tuesday, requesting “amendments” to the deal.