In a recent development, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his exasperation over unexpected escalations that could potentially disrupt the ongoing efforts to negotiate a cease-fire agreement in Gaza.
This came in response to a lethal attack that resulted in the explosion of pagers used by Hezbollah in Lebanon, an incident currently under investigation by the United States.
According to ABC News, Blinken addressed the media in Cairo, where he had traveled for discussions on the cease-fire negotiations and U.S.-Egyptian relations. Although Israel has not publicly acknowledged its role in the pager attack, it has been reported that a U.S. official was briefed by Israel after the incident.
The United States, Egypt, and other international allies are striving to broker an agreement between Israel and Hamas to end nearly a year of conflict in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held by the militant group. The U.S. believes such a deal is the best opportunity to mitigate broader regional tensions, especially with Israeli leaders threatening to intensify military action against Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and the pager attack posing a risk of further escalation.
Blinken stated, Time and again when the U.S. and other mediators believe they are making progress on a cease-fire deal in Gaza, we've seen an event that ... threatens to slow it, stop it, derail it. This was in response to a question about the explosions in Lebanon the previous day.
In a shocking incident on Tuesday, personal pagers used by Hezbollah in Lebanon exploded almost simultaneously, resulting in the death of at least 12 people, including two children. Blinken reiterated that the U.S. was still gathering information on the circumstances of the pager attack and refrained from making more specific comments.
Blinken also mentioned other unforeseen events that have jeopardized the cease-fire deal, such as the discovery of the bodies of six hostages who Israel claimed had been recently killed by Hamas. These individuals were among those still held in Gaza following Hamas' attacks in Israel on October 7, which initiated the war.
Blinken, who had meetings with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, emphasized the urgent need for both sides to demonstrate their genuine desire for a deal in the troubled cease-fire negotiations. The most important thing in this moment is to see a demonstration of political will, Blinken said.
Blinken embarked on his 10th trip to the Middle East since the war in Gaza began, without the optimistic projections that the Biden administration has previously conveyed of a breakthrough in the negotiations. The U.S., Egypt, and other allies assert that a deal is crucial to suppressing escalated attacks by Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria.
Israeli leaders issued a warning this week of a possible military offensive in Lebanon to halt the daily exchanges of rockets and missiles between Hezbollah and Israel across the southern Lebanese border.
Abdelatty, the Egyptian foreign minister, warned on Wednesday that the region was on the verge of a broader war and criticized Tuesday's targeted explosions in Lebanon. Any escalation, including what happened yesterday, certainly hinders reaching a cease-fire deal and the release of hostages and detainees," he said. Certainly what happened doesnt only hinder the current talks, but also risks getting into a full-scale war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of deliberately delaying the talks for a cease-fire in Gaza because a deal could lead to the collapse of his hardline coalition government, with some members opposed to any agreement with the Palestinians.
Login