US Secretary joins Arab ministers in Gaza ceasefire call

UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashemi was part of the Arab Six-Party Committee that met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to renew push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Foreign Ministers from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan, and the general secretary of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation were part of the Arab-American ministerial that will focus on the urgency of developing plans for a political solution to the conflict.

During the meeting, held in Cairo, the US Secretary of State announced that Washington has put forward a draft resolution to the UN Security Council that addresses an immediate ceasefire as part of a deal to free the hostages.

I joined leaders from across the region — Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the Palestinian Authority — to continue working on a path for enduring regional peace. pic.twitter.com/Zf1OlI1Cd0

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 21, 2024

It comes after the US had vetoed an earlier draft resolution put forward to the Council calling for a halt in hostilities in Gaza. 

Blinken added that Washington is working with Egypt and Qatar on a strong ceasefire proposal that Hamas has responded to.