Blinken and Netanyahu Discuss Ceasefire Efforts in Israel amid Gaza Conflict
The Biden administration has signaled renewed hopes for a hostage deal and cease-fire in Gaza after Israeli forces killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last week.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a visit to Israel on Oct. 22, in hopes of pushing along a cease-fire to end the Israel–Hamas war.
The Tuesday visit marks Blinken’s 11th trip to the Middle East since the outbreak of the current war on Oct. 7, 2023.
He arrived just days after Israeli forces killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a gun battle in southern Gaza.
Israel saw Sinwar as a mastermind behind the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in south Israel, in which the terrorist group took around 250 hostages, left around 1,200 people dead, and set off the current Gaza conflict.
U.S. leaders joined their Israeli counterparts in celebrating Sinwar’s death, and the Biden administration positioned it as a breakthrough opportunity for progress on a deal to end the fighting in Gaza and win the release of around 100 people still held in Hamas captivity.
Related Stories
While celebrating Sinwar’s death, the Biden administration has also urged Israel to make greater efforts to improve humanitarian conditions for civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin sent a letter to Israeli officials on Oct. 13, warning that the current humanitarian conditions in Gaza could impact continued U.S. support for Israel.
Blinken and Austin notified Israeli officials that they had a 30-day window to improve conditions in Gaza.
Miller said Blinken again addressed “the need for Israel to take additional steps to increase and sustain the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and ensure that assistance reaches civilians throughout Gaza” during his meeting with Netanyahu on Oct. 22.
Blinken also discussed post-war plans for Gaza’s governance, security, and reconstruction.
One of Israel’s primary wartime goals is to eliminate Hamas as both a militant and political force within Gaza.
While both the Biden administration and the Netanyahu government have marked Sinwar’s death as a stepping stone toward ending the Gaza conflict, Israel faces broader battles ahead.
Miller said Blinken spoke with Netanyahu about “a diplomatic resolution” to fighting in Lebanon.
Israeli forces have been trading fire with Hezbollah, another U.S.-designated terrorist group, for more than a year.
The… (content truncated)
Source link
