As the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate without an end in sight, the U.S. has been desperately trying to find a way to reach resolution and peace between countries. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has now held meetings with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Arab foreign ministers, but to no avail as both sides continue to disagree on a ceasefire.
The situation in Gaza has grown increasingly dire as thousands of civilians are fleeing their homes due to ongoing airstrikes by the Israeli military. In addition, three hospitals have been targeted by strikes since Saturday, November 4, according to reports from the Palestinian Red Crescent, including one near Shifa Hospital where hundreds had sought refuge from bombings and shelling.
Footage of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meeting with Arab leaders in Amman. pic.twitter.com/SydW3DHU0Y
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The death toll for Palestinians has risen above 9,400 at this point, with more than 3,900 being children according to information provided by the Health Ministry in Gaza.
Secretary Blinken used his meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Arab foreign ministers to attempt diplomacy between two sides that disagree sharply on how best to resolve this conflict. After talks in Israel, Netanyahu insisted that there can be no temporary cease-fire until all hostages held by Hamas are released while Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Arab countries want an immediate cease-fire saying “the whole region is sinking in a sea of hatred.”
"A ceasefire now will simply leave Hamas in place. They will regroup and repeat what it did on October 7."
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is speaking at a news conference in Jordan. He calls for for a "humanitarian pause" in the conflict.https://t.co/yJBIrQ9UKU
????Sky 501 pic.twitter.com/2RxWPgBITI— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 4, 2023
However Blinken argued against the idea of an immediate ceasefire because it would leave Hamas “able to regroup” before any significant progress can be made toward a peaceful resolution or lasting peace agreement for both sides involved. Egypt and Qatar have proposed humanitarian pauses which would allow aid into Gaza while also providing some relief from bombardment for those living there however, Israel seems unlikely to accept these suggestions at this time given they involve releasing prisoners held hostage by Hamas as part of the exchange deal.
