ISTANBUL, OCT 25 – Gaza ceasefire negotiations are expected to resume in the next few days, United States (US) Secretary Antony Blinken said yesterday, agency reports Anatolia.
Speaking at a press conference in Doha with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdelrahman Al Thani, Blinken said the Gaza negotiators will gather in the near future.
“We are talking about options to take advantage of this time and the next steps to move the process forward, and I expect that our negotiators will come together in the next few days,” he added.
The top US diplomat stated that Washington ‘opposes any attempt to impose a siege and let the people of Gaza starve.’ He also announced US$135 million in humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territories.
The Israeli army has continued its devastating attacks on the Gaza Strip since October last year, despite a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire.
More than 42,800 people were killed, mostly women and children, and more than 100,500 others were injured, according to local health authorities.
Mediation efforts led by the US, Egypt and Qatar to reach a Gaza ceasefire agreement and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas fighters have failed due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to end the war.
Israel’s assault on Gaza has left almost the entire population of the territory homeless amid ongoing blockades that have resulted in severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza. – Named