(MENAFN- Palestine News Network )
Washington / PNN -
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Tuesday that the United States will provide $404 million in new aid to the Palestinians. Blinken's statement came during his speech at the main session of the Gaza Emergency Response Conference, held at the Dead Sea in Jordan.
Blinken said, "Today, I am announcing an additional $404 million in aid for the Palestinians." He added, "Some have expressed concern about the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza, including countries with the capacity to give generously, which have given little or nothing at times."
He emphasized that "the single most effective step we can take to address the humanitarian challenges in Gaza is to achieve an immediate and lasting ceasefire."
Blinken, whose country provides unwavering support for Israel in its war on Gaza, stated, "We know that all Palestinian civilians suffering in Gaza are not numbers or statistics but human beings." He stressed that "Israel must take more measures to reduce civilian casualties and protect civilian infrastructure."
He noted that "all countries in the world supported the proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, and we are awaiting Hamas's response," referring to the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council on Monday evening based on a proposal announced by President Joe Biden last week, which he said was "Israeli."
Following the Security Council session, Hamas announced its readiness to cooperate with mediators to enter into indirect negotiations (with Israel) regarding the implementation of the principles outlined in the Security Council resolution, most notably "a permanent ceasefire, complete withdrawal from the sector, the return of displaced persons, and the rejection of any demographic changes."
With broad international participation, the main session of the Gaza Emergency Response Conference at the Dead Sea commenced on Tuesday afternoon, according to an Anadolu Agency correspondent. In addition to Jordan, the conference is co-organized by Egypt, the European Union, and the United Nations, and attended by heads of state, governments, and representatives of international organizations.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a war on Gaza, which has left nearly 122,000 Palestinians dead or injured, most of them children and women, and about 10,000 missing amid massive destruction and famine that has claimed the lives of children and the elderly.
Israel continues its war despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate halt, and International Court of Justice orders to end the invasion of Rafah in the southern sector, take measures to prevent "genocide," and improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Tala
Tala Jadou
"Hamas" and "Islamic Jihad" hand over their responses to the Israeli proposal to the mediators... and Washington evaluates it.
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