Blinken arrives in Israel to talk about Gaza ceasefire
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (Getty Images)
The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has arrived in Israel to discuss a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, according to The Times of Israel.
Blinken's visit comes ahead of the United Nations Security Council vote on the resolution put forward by the United States calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
"The US had hoped to secure a six-week ceasefire and hostage deal by the start of Ramadan on March 10 but successive rounds of talks have yet to bear fruit, with Washington largely blaming Hamas for the standoff," the report says.
Blinken's visit to Israel is part of his tour of the Middle East. The purpose of the trip is to address post-war governance and security plans for the Gaza Strip.
Situation in the Gaza Strip
Hamas militants launched a massive attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. Following this, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began a ground military operation in the Gaza Strip at the end of October, which continues to this day. The country's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that the objective of the operation is the complete destruction of Hamas and the release of hostages.
He also said that Israel's victory is imminent and announced the readiness of the IDF to launch a ground invasion into the city of Rafah near the border with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. Due to this, Egypt threatens to suspend its key peace treaty with Israel if the country's army enters Rafah.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has rejected another ceasefire deal with Hamas.
