US: We Push So Hard To Get Ceasefire In Gaza

7/15/2024 7:14:00 PM

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) WASHINGTON, July 15 (KUNA) - The United States affirmed Monday continued endeavors to bridge gaps in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations to help end the human tragedy in the Palestinian territory.
"We continue to push so hard to get a ceasefire because we see the horrific human tragedy that's happening inside Gaza," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a press briefing.
"The negotiations do continue. We continue to talk with the mediators about, as I said, what the remaining sticking points are and some of the practical ideas we have and that others have for how to bridge those sticking points."
Miller pointed out that Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the remaining sticking points in negotiations with the visiting Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.
"They discussed the latest in the ceasefire negotiations that are ongoing, where we are trying to reach a ceasefire that would secure the release of hostages, alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. Specifically, they talked about what some of the remaining sticking points are," he said.
Miller went on to say that "As the president announced last week, we have reached a framework agreement, but there are still a number of issues that need to be bridged".
"And so the secretary talked about practical solutions that we have in mind for how to bridge those differences and get to a final agreement. They talked about plans for the day after the conflict and how to establish governance and security in Gaza," he added.
Miller noted that the Secretary raised the need to even in advance of a hoped for ceasefire, do more to resolve logistical issues that are preventing humanitarian assistance from being fully delivered across the Gaza strip
He also unveiled that Secretary Blinken expressed, during his meeting the Israeli officials, the US serious concern about the recent civilian casualties in Gaza.
"As I've noted before, we have seen civilian casualties come down from the high points of the conflict and even from where they were, say, six weeks, two months ago, but they still remain unacceptably high."
"We continue to see far too many civilians killed in this conflict. We want to see civilian casualties completely ended. It's why we are pushing so hard to a ceasefire. But even in advance of a hopeful ceasefire, we want to see Israel do more to reduce civilian casualties," he said. (end)
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