US President Joe Biden warned all sides Friday not to undermine efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza, as he said that a deal was nearing after 10 months of bloodshed.
Biden said in a statement that Secretary of State Antony Blinken was traveling to the Middle East in part “to underscore that with the comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal now in sight, no one in the region should take actions to undermine this process.”
Blinken is set to leave Saturday for Israel. Biden previously has voiced frustration over a strike on July 31 in Tehran, widely suspected to have been carried out by Israel, that killed a top leader of Hamas who had been involved in ceasefire negotiations.
The United States has also been warning Iran against a threatened counterstrike on Israel, fearing all-out war in the Middle East.
Biden said Blinken will “reaffirm my iron-clad support for Israel’s security” and “continue our intensive efforts to conclude this agreement.”
The United States in talks that closed Friday in Doha presented a proposal to bridge gaps and begin a deal outlined in May by Biden, which would freeze fighting for an initial six weeks and lead to the release of hostages and prisoners.
Teams are hammering out details before a new round of ceasefire talks in Cairo late next week. Biden said that the diplomats “will report to me regularly.”
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