U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived Middle East on Monday in a bid to convince the region leaders to urge Hamas to accept the ceasefire proposal submitted by President Biden.
Blinken who will tour the region said, Hamas needs to accept the peace deal and end the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Blinken who arrived in Israel from Egypt said “My message to government throughout the region, to people throughout the region, is if you want a ceasefire, press Hamas to say yes.”
Blinken is poised to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister Yoav Gallant to look for an end to the conflict between them and Hamas.
The U.S. Secretary said he would also discuss plans for governance and reconstruction in post-conflict Gaza during his trip, which he will also meet with both Jordan and Qatar leaders.
Blinken also met with Egypt government officials including President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
President Biden has submitted a three-phase ceasefire deal for both Israel and Hamas which he said would end the conflict by bringing normalcy back to the war-ridden areas.
Hamas has backed out from the ceasefire adding that the ceasefire doesn’t suit the interest of the people of Gaza.
