Blinken meets Netanyahu in Jerusalem, pushes for ceasefire deal, hostage release and aid
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Salma Hossein
- . May 1, 2024
- . Update: May 1, 2024 8:04 pm
US Secretary of State and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held high-profile discussions in Jerusalem today on efforts to achieve a ceasefire deal, the release of hostages and the imperative of sustaining increases in aid to civilians throughout Gaza.
Israel is the final stop on the top US diplomat’s Middle East tour, the seventh visit to the region in recent months. Illustrating the trip’s humanitarian focus, Blinken is expected to visit Ashdod port in the south – that has recently started receiving relief supplies for Palestinians.
Hamas asked to accept truce deal proposed by Egypt
The US remains Israel’s main diplomatic supporter and arms supplier. The meeting comes about a month after US President Joe Biden issued a stark statement that his country’s policy could shift if Israel fails to take steps to address civilian harm and the safety of aid personnel.
Blinken has called on Hamas to accept a truce deal proposed by Egyptian mediators, involving the release of 33 hostages in exchange for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners and a halt to the conflict, besides the possibility of further steps towards a comprehensive deal later.
Speculation over Israel launching assault on Rafah
The brutal Gaza crisis erupted on October 7 last year as Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israeli cities, killing some 1,200 people and abducting 253 others. The hostages are mostly Israeli but include some foreign nationals, too.
In response, the Israeli military has overrun Gaza, killing more than 34,000 Palestinians, as per local health authorities, in a serious bombardment that has changed the geography of much of the enclave. Moreover, there is speculation over Israel launching an assault on Rafah.
