US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed optimism about progress toward a Gaza ceasefire during his visit to Ankara on Friday. Speaking after a meeting with Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Blinken said, “We discussed Gaza, and we discussed I think the opportunity... to get a ceasefire in place. And what we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks are more encouraging signs that, that is possible.”
Blinken emphasized the importance of Turkiye's influence over Hamas to facilitate a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal. He stated, “In my discussions with President Erdogan and with Minister Fidan we talked about the imperative of Hamas saying yes to the (Gaza) agreement that's possible to finally help bring this to an end.” He added, “We appreciate very much the role that Turkiye can play in using its voice with Hamas, to try to bring this to conclusion.”
On Thursday, Antony Blinken visited Jordan, where he also discussed efforts to achieve a Gaza ceasefire. This visit marked his 12th trip to the Middle East since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
(Source: ARABNEWS)
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