Blinken sees 'encouraging signs' of ceasefire in Gaza

 Friday, December 13, 2024

ISLAMABAD (Point News Today/ Pakistan Point News - 13th Dec, 2024 ) :US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he has seen “encouraging signs” of progress towards a ceasefire in Gaza. During his visit to the Turkish capital Ankara on Friday, the top US diplomat urged the Turkish leadership to use its influence to persuade Hamas to accept a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Blinken’s comments came after he met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the second leg of his visit to Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. “We discussed Gaza, and also that I think there is an opportunity for a ceasefire,” Blinken told reporters in Ankara.

And what we have seen in the last two weeks are more encouraging signs that this agreement is possible.

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“We talked about the imperative for Hamas to say ‘yes’ to whatever is possible, to help ultimately end the war,” he said. In Blinken’s words, “We also greatly appreciate the role that Turkey can play in using its relationship with Hamas to reach a ceasefire agreement for Gaza.”

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This is Antony Blinken’s 12th trip to the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel on October 7, 2023. He also went to Jordan before Turkey, where his goal was also to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza. Along with the US Secretary of State, US National Security Advisor Jack Sullivan is also currently on a Middle East tour and met with several Israeli leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday.

Analysts believe that the administration of US President Joe Biden, who is leaving office in January, is trying to take political credit for ending the war before he leaves office. On the other hand, President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly made it clear that he wants to see an end to the war in Gaza before his inauguration.