US held more than 60 high-level diplomatic meetings to end Gaza violence

The US ambassador to the United Nations says the United States will continue “to relentlessly push for peace” between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers.

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield says the US has held more than 60 diplomatic meetings at the highest levels over the past two weeks, including at least five by President Joe Biden, to try to quickly end the conflict.

She speaks on Thursday at an emergency in-person meeting of the UN General Assembly and underscores that the US administration is committed to working with Israelis, Palestinians and parties across the Middle East to stop the hostilities.

She says: “I don’t believe there is any country working more urgently or fervently toward peace.”

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks to reporters during a news conference at United Nations headquarters, March 1, 2021. (Mary Altaffer/AP)

Thomas-Greenfield reiterates that in Biden’s phone call with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, the president said “we believe Israel is now in a position to begin winding down the conflict, and that we expect a significant de-escalation to begin.”

She says the Biden administration is committed to working with other countries “to bring a rapid end to the current violence and, over the longer term, create the conditions for a lasting, sustainable peace.”