As the terrorists met with Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Tuesday, 5 March 2024, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas to agree to an “immediate ceasefire” with Israel.

Blinken stated this during his meeting with the Prime Minister of Qatar in Washington. “We have an opportunity for an immediate ceasefire that can bring hostages home, that can dramatically increase the amount of humanitarian assistance getting to Palestinians who so desperately need it, and can also set the conditions for an enduring resolution.”

“Hamas must decide if it is ready to participate in that ceasefire,” the speaker stated.

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, the Prime Minister of Qatar and a major negotiator on the agreement, pledged to be “persistent to let this deal happen.”

“We want to see an end to the humanitarian suffering, we want to see the hostages returned to their families, and we want to bring peace, regardless of whoever is trying to undermine our efforts to achieve it,” he declared.

Additionally, Blinken urged Israel to permit additional aid to enter Gaza, a war-torn region where the US has started using humanitarian airdrops and where starvation warnings have escalated.

“Israel must utilize all available channels and strategies to provide aid to those in need,” Blinken stated.

He insisted that Israel ensure that help could reach those in need by opening additional borders into Gaza.

“The current state of affairs is just intolerable, so we will keep pushing that every single day,” Blinken declared.

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