According to U.S Secretary of state, Antony Blinken, there has been progress on truce talks after discussions with Arab allies in Cairo.
Blinken made this disclosure at a press conference with Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry.
He noted that the United States continues to push for an agreement in negotiations in Doha, Qatar.
“There’s difficult work to get there, but I believe it’s still possible. These are difficult days, but this only reinforces are desire to get to better days,” he asserted.
Also, Blinken stressed U.S stance on Israel’s planned offensive into Rafah.
“We’ve been very clear that a ground operation into Rafah would be a mistake and we cannot support it. Displaced people there have nowhere to go, and an invasion would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.”
Antony Blinken
He added on truce talks, “we are working every single day on the hostage deal,” but there are “real challenges and we can’t put a timeline on it.”
Blinken revealed that he discussed “post-conflict Gaza and what would be necessary for an enduring peace” with the Egyptian Foreign Minister.
“That would include a state for Palestinians and security guarantees for Israelis,” Blinken said.
“In this moment, given the passions, given the horrific events of October 7, given the suffering of the Palestinians over the past few months – the choice is clear. There is a path forward where Israel is fully integrated into the region and there’s an independent Palestinian state.
“That path is both clear and possible. The alternative is a path that leads to endless cycles of violence.”
Antony Blinken
Blinken also said that there is “a better way to deal with the ongoing threat posed by Hamas” than Israel’s plans for a major military operation in Rafah.
On his part, Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry disclosed that the obstacles hindering aid deliveries, a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel, and the “starvation” ongoing in Gaza were discussed with Blinken.
“Israel’s planned operation in Rafah was also discussed because it could kill thousands more innocent people,” Shoukry said.
He added, “We have agreed to coordinate on all these issues. There is no room to exacerbate the human suffering.”
He also stressed that the two-state solution is the only way forward.
Israel’s Spy Chief To Visit Doha For Truce Negotiations
According to a statement issued by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, David Barnea, the Head of Israel’s foreign intelligence service, will travel to Qatar on Friday, March 22, 2024, to meet mediators trying to secure a Gaza ceasefire that would include a hostage release.
The statement revealed that Barnea will meet with the US’s CIA Director Williams Burns, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, the statement said.
Yesterday, Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan said that Israel’s reaction to the group’s proposal for a ceasefire was “negative”, fueling fears that this round of talks will be as fruitless as previous rounds.
More to come…
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