Blinken says he will press Netanyahu on Gaza ceasefire deal
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel where he will meet President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to push forward the Gaza ceasefire deal.
This is Blinken’s seventh trip to the region since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, as efforts intensified to reach a hostage deal and truce.
The latest offer for a hostage deal being negotiated in Cairo reportedly includes a 40-day pause in fighting and the release of almost 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for between 20-33 hostages. The numbers relate to hostages in a so-called humanitarian category — women, children, men over 50, and those who are sick.
The Israel Prime Minister’s office in a statement on Tuesday night said that the meeting with Herzog will be held in Tel Aviv while Blinken will interact with Netanyahu at the latter’s office in Jerusalem.
The Secretary of State will also meet Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi. Blinken will also meet the families of the hostages.
The top US diplomat arrived in the Middle East on Monday and had interactions with the Jordanian and Saudi officials regarding peace in the region.
Blinken spoke to reporters at a warehouse of the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization where aid shipments from US-based charities are gathered. While there are some improvements in the humanitarian aid situation in the densely populated enclave, he said, much more needs to be done to ensure assistance reaches people in a sustained manner.
Blinken’s check-in with Netanyahu on aid will take place about a month after U.S. President Joe Biden issued a stark warning to Netanyahu, saying Washington’s policy could shift if Israel fails to take steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers.
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