US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to travel to the Middle East on Saturday to continue diplomatic efforts for a Gaza ceasefire deal. President Joe Biden has expressed optimism that a deal is within reach but stressed that there are still a few issues to resolve. Previous attempts to broker a ceasefire have failed, leading to criticism of the US for not leveraging its relationship with Israel.
Biden announced Blinken’s upcoming trip and stated that he has spoken to key regional leaders who support US efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement. Talks in Doha involving Qatar, Egypt, and the US have been paused but are expected to resume next week in Cairo in hopes of reaching a deal that could save lives and de-escalate tensions in the region.
These latest diplomatic efforts have been described as the most productive in months, with all participants exhibiting a new spirit to drive towards a resolution. Progress has been made on various issues, including the exchange of captives between Hamas and Israel, as well as concerns over the control of the Gaza-Egypt border and movement for Palestinians within Gaza.
An Israeli delegation, along with mediators and representatives from the US, Qatar, Egypt, and other regional players, have been engaged in talks to end the violence in Gaza. While Hamas is not directly involved in the negotiations, they have been kept informed of the progress. The US hopes that a ceasefire agreement will prevent a wider conflict amid tensions with Iran following the assassination of a key Hamas leader in Tehran.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com