Palestinians seeking refuge in Gaza hope U.S. Secretary of State’s visit secures truce. Antony Blinken arrives in Riyadh for his first Middle East trip.
The offer, conveyed to Hamas by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, awaits a response.
“Impossible to say if we’ll get a breakthrough, when we’ll get a breakthrough,” a senior U.S. official told reporters during the flight to the Saudi capital. “The ball right now is in Hamas’ court.”
Blinken seeks support for U.S. plans post-truce: rebuilding Gaza and fostering Palestinian statehood.
“If we get a humanitarian pause, we want to be in a position to move as quickly as possible on the various pieces of ‘day after’,” the U.S. official said.
The U.S. aims to curb escalation, addressing airstrikes against pro-Iranian groups regionally.
British defense minister Grant Shapps notes the impact of airstrikes on Houthis. Israel considers new ground assault on Rafah in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vows to continue until “total victory.” Hamas disputes claims and accuses Netanyahu of delusional victories. The ceasefire proposal outlines phases for releasing hostages, including civilians and soldiers.
Fighting In Khan Younis, Gaza City
Intense battles continue with Israeli tanks advancing in Khan Younis. Fighting resurges in Gaza City, areas previously subdued by Israel.
On Monday, the Israeli military reported that its forces had engaged in combat, resulting in the deaths of dozens of Palestinian fighters in various areas across northern, central, and southern Gaza over the last 24 hours.
Heavy fighting is reported in Gaza City, particularly its western areas, amid bombardment from Israeli warships. UNRWRA, the U.N. aid agency for Palestinians, stated that a food convoy heading there was fired upon, with no reported injuries.
Gaza authorities report over 27,000 confirmed Palestinian deaths in Israel’s assault. Israel states 226 soldiers killed since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which initiated the war with 1,200 people killed and 253 hostages captured. Concerns rise over potential catastrophic humanitarian consequences if a ground assault on Rafah occurs.
Gazans fear a potential ground assault could force them out of the enclave permanently into Egypt. An Israeli official mentioned military coordination with Egypt and exploring options to evacuate displaced people northwards before any Rafah ground operation.
Netanyahu insists any pause in fighting would be temporary if Hamas fighters remain active. Hamas insists on guarantees of Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war before agreeing to a truce or releasing hostages.
The exiled Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, announced plans to travel to Cairo for his response to the ceasefire proposal but has yet to arrive.
A Palestinian official involved in the negotiations indicated that the Hamas response might be imminent, emphasizing the role of Antony Blinken in encouraging concessions from Netanyahu.
