Blinken discusses ceasefire proposal with Egyptian, Qatari and Emirati counterparts

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan,  Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry about the proposed hostage release and ceasefire deal, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller says.

Blinken and his counterparts discussed “the proposal’s benefits for the people of Gaza, including through the return of civilians to North Gaza and the beginning of a major reconstruction plan,” Miller says in a readout of the call.

He also reiterated the US’s appreciation for the humanitarian assistance they have provided Gaza’s civilians with since the outbreak of the war.

Finally, Miller says, Blinken “called for Hamas to accept the deal without delay, underscoring the benefits the deal would provide to the Palestinian people.”