Blinken to travel to Middle East as US ratchets up pressure on ceasefire and hostage proposal
CNN
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the Middle East next week as the United States seeks to ratchet up the pressure on a proposed ceasefire and hostage release deal that the administration argues could bring an end to the war in Gaza.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the Middle East next week as the United States seeks to ratchet up the pressure on a proposed ceasefire and hostage release deal that the administration argues could bring an end to the war in Gaza. Blinken will head to Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Qatar to “discuss with partners the need to reach a ceasefire agreement that secures the release of all hostages,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller announced Friday. The top US diplomat “will emphasize the importance of Hamas accepting the proposal on the table, which is nearly identical to one Hamas endorsed last month,” Miller said. Hamas has not yet put forward a formal response to the proposal, which was transmitted to Hamas’ political wing by the Qataris last Thursday. “We would hope for a response from Hamas as soon as possible, and we continue to wait,” Miller said at a press briefing Thursday. A source familiar said Thursday that they expected a response in the coming days.
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