India will support efforts to bring ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said. The statement was made while speaking at the first India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ministerial meeting in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
Our first priority is the current situation in Gaza. India’s position in that regard is principled and stable. “While we condemn acts of terrorism and hostage-taking, we are deeply saddened by the death of innocent people in Gaza,” Jaishankar said. He reiterated India’s stand to support the two-state formula as a permanent solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. During the conference, Jaishankar met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the foreign ministers of the Gulf countries.
The US is hoping that a cease-fire can be implemented in Gaza soon. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement on 90% of the issues. In the meantime, the Israeli army has withdrawn from Jenin in the West Bank. The cease-fire talks that began on August 15 did not go anywhere. It is indicated that new negotiations will begin next week. The White House has stated that the United States will put forward new proposals for this.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that only a few issues remain to be resolved between Israel and Hamas. Anthony Blinken stated that some important issues remain, including the dispute over control of the Philadelphia Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border. Anthony Blinken said that there are also remaining disputes regarding the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. It is hoped that the mediators will be able to resolve this issue in the coming days.
The Palestinian News Agency reported that Israel, which launched an attack on the West Bank after Gaza, withdrew from Jenin. The army retreated after a day of continuous attacks. 22 people were killed in the Israeli attack here. Many roads and buildings were destroyed.
On May 31, 2024, US President Joe Biden proposed a peace agreement. After that, the United States sought UN approval for the agreement
On the part of the Israeli government, the decision regarding the agreement continues to be ambiguous. Although the peace agreement proposed by the United States has been officially accepted, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has distanced himself from it. And his far-right constituents have also taken the opposite stand. At the same time, the resolution mainly demands that the proposals of the agreement should be fully implemented without delay and without conditions.
14 member states voted in the resolution passed by the UN Council on Monday. Only Russia abstained from the resolution to accept the agreement prepared by the United States. No one voted against it. The deal calls for the release of elderly, sick or women held hostage by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners captured by Israel within the first six weeks of the ceasefire.
At least 37,124 people have been killed and 84,712 wounded in the Israeli occupation of Gaza since October 7.
The agreement aims to bring about a lasting atmosphere of peace in the region. The second phase would involve the release of all detainees and negotiations between Israel and Hamas with the United States, Qatar and Egypt. The agreement also states that reconstruction efforts in Gaza will begin with the third phase.
On May 31, 2024, US President Joe Biden proposed a peace agreement. After that, the United States sought UN approval for the agreement. When the deal was announced, Hamas was in favor of it. But no formal response has yet been given to the ceasefire proposal.
