The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, had a three-hour meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where they discussed ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
After the meeting, a U.S. official criticized Netanyahu’s comments about wanting Israeli troops to remain in parts of Gaza, calling these “maximalist” statements unhelpful.
The U.S. wants to finalize a ceasefire deal, and such strong statements could complicate negotiations.
Meanwhile, Secretary Blinken is actively working with other Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt and Qatar, to advance the peace process.
He confirmed that Israel agreed to a detailed plan for withdrawing its forces from Gaza as part of the ceasefire efforts.
However, Hamas disagreed with the new ceasefire proposals, preferring to stick to earlier negotiation terms.
The BBC emphasized that these discussions are part of intense diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd6ynq1jwdqo