US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who arrived today in Cairo, from where he began a new tour of the Middle East, called on the countries of the region to "put pressure on "Hamas" to agree to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, reported France Press, quoted by BTA.
"I firmly believe that the overwhelming majority" Israelis and Palestinians "want to believe in a future" in which the two peoples "live in peace and security," the head of American diplomacy said after just over eight months of war between the Palestinian Islamist movement "Hamas" and Israel.
Blinken said that "Hamas" is the only party in the talks not to accept the US three-phase peace proposal, including the release of hostages and talks to end the fighting, to which it says Israel has agreed.
Representative of "Hamas" said Blinken's comments on the ceasefire showed a "bias towards Israel" and the position of the US Secretary of State is the real obstacle to reaching an agreement, notes Reuters.