2024-08-20 07:18:27
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken today described as “perhaps the best and perhaps the last option” Washington’s latest diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and called on all parties to bring the agreement to success, Reuters reported, quoted from BTA.
Ceasefire talks have been ongoing for months and will continue this week in Cairo after a two-day meeting in Doha last week.
Blinken will step up diplomatic pressure for a breakthrough in talks later this week after the US last week presented compromise proposals that mediators say will bring the warring parties closer together.
“This is a crucial moment, perhaps the best and perhaps the last opportunity to bring the hostages home, get a ceasefire and put everyone on a better path to sustainable peace and security,” Blinken told reporters ahead of his meeting. with Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog.
“I am here as part of an intensive diplomatic effort at the direction of President Biden to try to reach an agreement. It’s time for everyone to say yes and not look for an excuse to say no, added Blinken.
The mediating countries – Qatar, the United States and Egypt – have so far failed to narrow their differences enough to reach an agreement.
Hours after Blinken’s arrival, the Palestinian movement Hamas said it held Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for the “failure of mediators’ efforts” and the delay in the deal.
The Secretary of State also warned against allowing further escalation of tensions in the region. “It’s also time to make sure that no one takes steps that could derail this process, and that’s why we’re working to make sure that there’s no escalation, that there’s no provocation,” he added.
Israel launched its military operation in the Gaza Strip after militants of the Palestinian Islamist movement “Hamas” carried out an unprecedented attack on the Jewish state on October 7 last year.