Speaking at a news conference in Doha with Qatar Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, pointed a ceasefire as the best way to bring an end to the dire situation in Gaza.
The news conference came after a meeting between Blinken and the Qatar Prime Minister.
“The single most effective and most immediate way to end the suffering of people in Gaza, to end suffering of Palestinians and Israelis alike, is to tackle the human assistance crisis, to protect conflict from escalating and spreading to other places is to get a ceasefire.”
Antony Blinken
He lauded Qatar’s efforts, saying, “Qatar has been a tireless partner in working to mediate a ceasefire and a hostage release.”
Blinken stressed that the US is “continuing to work every day on increasing the flow of assistance into Gaza and making sure it gets to people who need it within Gaza, working to improve civilian protection, working to release the hostages.
Also, Blinken addressed Hamas’s response to the UN-backed ceasefire plan, saying some of their requested amendments are workable, but some are not.
He said that some of Hamas’s proposals in the response go beyond what the group had previously accepted in talks on a deal for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza.
Blinken declined to say what specific changes Hamas was seeking.
He blamed the Palestinian group for holding up ceasefire efforts, claiming they are the only entity that has yet to back the plan.
He said, “Hamas could have answered with a single word: yes. Instead, Hamas waited nearly two weeks and requested numerous changes.”
“Remember, Hamas had this for 12 days, and it’s not like the world stood still for those 12 days; people were suffering for those 12 days,” he claimed.
“The longer this goes on, the more people will suffer. It’s time for the haggling to stop and for the ceasefire to start; it’s as simple as that. Israel accepted the proposal as it was and as it is, and Hamas didn’t.
“If Hamas continues to say no, I think it will be clear to everyone around the world that it’s on them and that they made a choice to continue a war that they started.”
Antony Blinken
While Blinken claimed that Israel has accepted the plan, senior Israeli leaders, including Netanyahu, have repeatedly said Israel will not stop the war before defeating Hamas, raising questions about prospects for an enduring ceasefire.
He added that there was “no guarantee” that the “gaps” between the two sides are “bridgeable” at this point.
Nonetheless, he noted that mediators will continue urgently trying to “close the deal” in the days ahead and that there is still agreement about the principles that must undergird it.
“I can’t tell you right now if we [the mediators] will succeed. I believe it’s doable. I believe it’s absolutely necessary to do our best.”
Antony Blinken
The US Secretary of state also gave a cautionary word to Israel, saying “We look, and continue to look very carefully, at international humanitarian law, at laws of armed conflict, human rights.”
“And we have a number of our own processes within the US administration, including within my own department, to assess whether Israel or any other combatant in any other conflict is adhering to those.”
Antony Blinken
Ceasefire To Take Lessen Conflict Between Hezbollah And Israel
Moreover, Blinken spoke about the risk of escalating conflict between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel.
He said, “One of our primary objectives is to prevent this conflict in Gaza spreading escalation in the region.”
“And we’ve been on that from day one. We don’t want to see that escalation. And I think it’s also safe to say that actually no one is looking to start a war, to have that escalation.
“Now, there’s no doubt in my mind that the best way also to empower a diplomatic solution to the north is a resolution of the conflict in Gaza.”
Antony Blinken
Getting the ceasefire, Blinken said, will take a tremendous amount of pressure out of the system.
“It will take away a justification that Hezbollah has claimed for the attacks it is engaged in,” he asserted.
He added, “And I think open a pathway to actually resolve this diplomatically. That’s what we’re determined to do.”
READ ALSO: Celine Dion Vows to Return to Stage Despite Battling Rare Disorder
