Kamala Harris yesterday repeated the call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, on the eve of the Democratic convention in which she is expected to star.
The efforts of the mediators — Qatar, Egypt, the USA — to conclude an agreement between the government of Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas have not borne fruit so far. Indirect negotiations in Doha were postponed for this week on Friday. New talks are expected to take place in Cairo within the week.
According to Ms. Harris, negotiations are still ongoing.
"We're not giving up, we're going to continue to work very hard on this," the Democratic nominee for the November election said. "We must ensure a ceasefire and we must guarantee the return of the hostages" who have been held in the Palestinian enclave since October 7, he added.
Later today, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallad and President Isaac Herzog.
Mr Blinken, who is making his ninth tour of the region since the outbreak of war, will "continue intensive diplomatic efforts" by Washington, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel assured before the minister's departure.
Mr Netanyahu and Hamas blamed each other yesterday for the failure of efforts to strike a deal to this stage.
Earlier yesterday, US President Joe Biden nevertheless judged that reaching an agreement was still "possible".
Source: protothema.gr
