The U.S. Does Not Accept Any Long-Term Israeli Occupation of Gaza, Says Blinken

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has concluded his latest trip to the Middle East, aimed at facilitating a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. However, he departed the region without a specific agreement between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

According to Reuters, during a press conference in Qatar, Blinken stated that the agreement should be reached in the coming days, and "we will do everything possible to reach a deadline." In response to a question regarding the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza as part of the ceasefire agreement, the U.S. Secretary of State said, "The United States does not accept any long-term Israeli occupation of Gaza. More specifically, the agreement is very clear about the timeline and locations for the withdrawal of (Israel Defense Forces) from Gaza, and Israel has agreed to that." He emphasized once again that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed his agreement to the terms of the deal.