Negotiations are scheduled to begin today in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheik Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani warned all parties on Wednesday not to undermine the Gaza ceasefire talks, which are set to begin today in the Qatari capital Doha. The statement is seen as a veiled warning to Iran, the extremist organization Hamas, and Israel.
According to a statement issued by the US State Department, Secretary of State Blinken and the Qatari Prime Minister stated in their mutual telephone conversation that “no party in the region should take actions that would undermine efforts to reach an agreement.” The two are said to have discussed efforts to calm tensions in the region and the importance of achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.
Foreign Minister Blinken also spoke with Egypt’s top diplomat on Wednesday. In addition, he has been in contact with Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Israel in recent days.
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel would participate in Gaza ceasefire talks. The participation of Hamas is still uncertain.
Sources: AFP, Reuters