WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant to urgently reach a cease-fire in Gaza and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel’s security, the State Department said Saturday.
Egypt, Qatar and the United States had earlier called on Israel and Hamas to resume cease-fire discussions on Aug. 14-15. The three leaders said they were ready to present a final proposal to reach a deal.
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"The secretary of state reiterated the urgent need for a cease-fire in Gaza that would secure the release of hostages, allow for increased humanitarian aid and create conditions for greater regional stability. He also stressed the importance of reaching a diplomatic settlement that would allow both Israeli and Lebanese families to return to their homes,» the State Department said in a statement.
A senior US administration official said on Friday that the US believes that Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement are not yet ready to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, and that the parties still have «much work to do.»