By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas Wednesday to accept the latest proposal for a cease-fire with Israel that would free hostages and pause the nearly seven months of war in Gaza that has killed thousands.
He met Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss “ongoing efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as part of a hostage deal,” said spokesperson Matthew Miller in remarks obtained by Worthy News.
Blinken said the “time is now” for an accord, but sources familiar with the discussions acknowledged that a stumbling block appeared to remain — whether the deal would ultimately end Israel’s offensive as Hamas has demanded.
He also “emphasized that it is Hamas that is standing in the way of a ceasefire,” Miller added about the group that the U.S. and Israel consider a terrorist organization.
Additionally, the Secretary of State “discussed the improvement in the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza since the call between President [Joe] Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu on April 4,” Millar stressed.
Blinken “reiterated the importance of accelerating and sustaining that improvement”[in aid deliveries], the spokesperson added.
Secretary Blinken “reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel’s security,” Miller said, at a time when Israel faces attacks from Iran or its proxies.
AVOIDING CONFLICT EXPANSION
Yet Blinken also discussed the need to avoid further expansion of the conflict and updated Netanyahu on ongoing efforts “to ensure a lasting, sustainable peace in the region,” Miller confirmed.
Blinken reiterated the United States’ “clear position on Rafah,” the city in southern Gaza that Israel has threatened to invade in its efforts to “eradicate Hamas,” Worthy News learned.
The U.S. and fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar hope to avert an Israeli offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where some 1.4 million Palestinians are sheltering.
Blinken met with Israeli leaders throughout Wednesday on the last stop of his seventh visit to the region since the war erupted in October.
At least 133 hostages have remained in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, 129 of whom had been abducted on October 7 last year. The other four were captured earlier.
However, as many as dozens of hostages are believed to have died with Hamas using civilians as human shields during Israeli attacks or directly killing those they detain.
Throughout months of talks, Hamas has said the freeing of all the hostages it holds must bring a permanent halt to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
It also seeks the release of many hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners held by Israel.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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