By Katya Golubkova
TOKYO (Reuters) – Oil prices rose on Thursday after Israel rejected a ceasefire offer from Hamas, as talks continued to try to end the Gaza conflict and wider Middle East tensions that have kept the market on edge since October.
Signs of solid U.S. fuel demand also bolstered the market’s upward trend this week.
Brent crude futures were up 22 cents, or 0.28%, at $79.43 a barrel at 0132 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 19 cents, or 0.26% to $74.05 a barrel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas’ latest offer for a ceasefire and return of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, but U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was still room for negotiation toward an agreement.
A Palestinian Hamas delegation led by senior official Khalil Al-Hayya was due to travel on Thursday to Cairo for ceasefire talks with Egypt and Qatar.
On the demand side, a much stronger-than-expected drawdown in gasoline stocks in the U.S. reported on Wednesday continued to buoy the market.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported U.S. gasoline stocks fell by 3.15 million barrels last week compared with analysts’ estimates for a build of 140,000 barrels.
The drop in gasoline stocks and a 13% year-on-year rise in U.S. oil exports to a record 4.06 million barrels per day in 2023 “both indicate stronger demand for crude”, ANZ Research said in a note.
(Reporting by Katya Golubkova In Tokyo; Editing by Sonali Paul)