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Added on the 30/11/2023 12:56:39 - Copyright : France 24 EN
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken leaves Joint Base Andrews as he heads back to the Middle East to push ahead a Gaza ceasefire deal, as cautious optimism rises. The top US diplomat, who is putting off vacation plans for his ninth trip to the Middle East since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, will fly to Tel Aviv ahead of expected meetings with the Israeli leadership. IMAGES
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urges Middle East rivals to agree to a Gaza ceasefire to "break this cycle" of violence, urging de-escalation as Iran prepares a potential strike on Israel. "Escalation is not in anyone's interests. It will only lead to more conflict, more violence, more insecurity. It's also critical that we break this cycle by reaching a ceasefire in Gaza," Blinken tells reporters. SOUNDBITE
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he is hopeful Hamas would accept an "extraordinarily generous" offer to halt Israel's Gaza offensive in return for the release of hostages. SOUNDBITE
The White House says it is "cautiously optimistic" on the chances for a Gaza ceasefire deal after a new proposal by Hamas but stressed that talks were far from over. "We're cautiously optimistic that things are moving in the right direction," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby tells reporters in a press briefing. SOUNDBITE
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calls on Hamas to accept an "immediate ceasefire" with Israel as the militants met Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo. "We have an opportunity for an immediate ceasefire that can bring hostages home, that can dramatically increase the amount of humanitarian assistance getting to Palestinians who so desperately need it, and then also set the conditions for an enduring resolution," Blinken says as he meets the Qatari prime minister in Washington. "It is on Hamas to make decisions about whether it is prepared to engage in that ceasefire," he adds. SOUNDBITE
"There's still a lot of work to be done. But we continue to believe that an agreement is possible and indeed essential, and we will continue to work relentlessly to achieve it," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tells reporters in Doha after being informed of the reply by Qatar. SOUNDBITE