► Israel-Hamas truce: the United States “determined” to obtain an agreement
The United States is “determined” for Israel and Hamas to conclude ” NOW “ a truce agreement, associated with a release of hostages, after nearly seven months of fighting in the Gaza Strip, American Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced this Wednesday, May 1.
Israel-Hamas war: hopes of a truce, strikes on Rafah… The results of the 207th day
“Even in these difficult times, we are determined to secure a ceasefire bringing the hostages home and to achieve it now. And the only reason it wouldn’t happen is Hamas.”declared Antony Blinken in Tel Aviv, meeting Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
The mediators – Egypt, Qatar, United States – are still awaiting Hamas’ response on Wednesday to the latest version of a truce offer, including a halt to the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip and the release of Palestinian detainees against the release of hostages kidnapped by the Palestinian movement on October 7 during its unprecedented attack in southern Israel.
The American Secretary of State is due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this Wednesday and go to Ashdod, an Israeli port near Gaza, recently reopened to allow the delivery of aid. “We must also worry about the people who are suffering, caught in the crossfire”said Antony Blinken.
► Offensive in Rafah: the UN warning
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Tuesday against an Israeli military offensive in Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, which he said would represent a “intolerable escalation, killing thousands more civilians and forcing hundreds of thousands more to flee.” Such an offensive “will have serious repercussions on the occupied West Bank and the entire region”he added.
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“All members of the Security Council and many other States have clearly expressed their opposition to such an operation. I ask everyone who has influence over Israel to do everything in their power to prevent it.”said the manager again. “The truth is that a ground operation in Rafah will simply be an unspeakable tragedy. No humanitarian plan can counter this. The rest is just details »warned the head of UN humanitarian affairs, Martin Griffiths, on Tuesday evening.
“A large-scale operation in Rafah would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe”added the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, calling “all parties to work towards a ceasefire”.
► Visit of the head of French diplomacy to Cairo
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné has decided to extend his tour of the Middle East with a visit to Cairo this Wednesday “as part of Egypt’s efforts to secure the release of hostages and a truce in Gaza”indicated those around him.
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Stéphane Séjourné, who has visited Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Israel in recent days, will meet his counterpart Sameh Choukri at midday to bring “the subject of the three French hostages and humanitarian cooperation”.
