DAccording to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the United States has submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip. “We have actually presented a resolution that is now before the Security Council, which calls for an immediate ceasefire coupled with the release of the hostages,” Blinken told the Saudi Arabian media Al-Hadath on Wednesday evening.
Blinken’s comments came during a visit to Saudi Arabia for talks about the war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The United States has in the past exercised its veto power on several resolutions calling for immediate ceasefires in the war between Israel and Hamas.
According to the USA, the tough indirect negotiations on a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages are making progress. We are getting “closer and closer” to a deal, Blinken said. The differences between the negotiating partners would become smaller. “I think an agreement is very possible,” Blinken said. He then wanted to travel to Egypt and on Friday to Israel.
The USA, Qatar and Egypt have been mediating between Israel and the Islamist Hamas for weeks. The aim is a ceasefire and the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners. There is a “very strong proposal” on the table, said Blinken. Now we have to see whether Hamas agrees.
Israel should consider alternatives to Rafah offensive
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, meanwhile, called on his Israeli counterpart Joav Galant to consider alternatives to a ground offensive in the refugee-filled city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. In a phone call with Galant on Wednesday, Austin highlighted the need to consider options other than a major ground operation in Rafah, the Department of Defense in Washington said. According to the information, the conversation also discussed the urgent need to do more to protect the civilian population and to expand the transport of relief supplies to the sealed-off Gaza Strip by land.
Netanyahu: It will take some time until the Rafah offensive
Galant is expected in Washington next week. The Pentagon said the talks would then continue. An Israeli delegation is also scheduled to travel to the US capital to speak to US government representatives about their concerns about the planned ground offensive in Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear on Wednesday that preparations for such an offensive would still take some time. But he wants to hold on to it. Netanyahu reiterated that he had already approved the army’s operational plan for Rafah, “and soon we will also approve the plan to evacuate civilians from the combat areas.”
Israel is under international pressure to refrain from a ground offensive in Rafah. The USA also wants to dissuade its ally from doing so. Washington’s tone towards Netanyahu and his government has sharpened significantly in view of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the many civilian casualties in recent weeks. At the same time, however, the USA sees itself as Israel’s protective power and continues to support the country with billions in military aid. A US State Department spokesman reiterated on Wednesday that there had been no change in Washington’s support for Israel.
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