The United States is striving to ease rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly amid fears of an Iranian retaliatory strike against Israel following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The US has increased its diplomatic efforts to prevent further regional conflict.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the UN, emphasized the goal of “turning the temperature down” in the region during a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday. She highlighted the US objective to deter and defend against potential future attacks while working to avoid a broader conflict.
US President Joe Biden suggested that reaching a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could potentially dissuade Iran from taking retaliatory action. “That’s my expectation, but we’ll see,” he stated while discussing the situation during a visit to New Orleans.
Negotiations for a new ceasefire deal are scheduled to take place in Doha or Cairo on Thursday. However, Hamas has indicated it will not participate in the talks, according to reports by the New York Times and Sky News.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed his planned trip to the Middle East to focus on negotiations aimed at ending the Gaza conflict. The US, Egypt, and Qatar are working towards a ceasefire that includes the release of Israeli hostages and the return of Palestinian civilians to their homes.
In addition, the US has approved a $20 billion arms sale to Israel, although the shipment will take years to complete.
At the Security Council meeting, Thomas-Greenfield stressed the need for a finalized ceasefire deal, stating, “A broader regional conflict is not inevitable.” She called for immediate action to resolve the crisis in Gaza and alleviate the situation.
Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour criticized the Security Council for its perceived inaction, accusing it of failing to address the humanitarian crisis and Israel’s military actions in Gaza. In response, Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields.
Since the conflict’s escalation on October 7, approximately 39,920 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Additionally, exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli military have resulted in further casualties.
Iran has rejected calls from Western nations to avoid retaliation for Haniyeh’s assassination, and Israel has heightened its military alert in anticipation of potential Iranian actions. The US has also increased its military presence in the Middle East to support Israel and prepare for possible attacks from Iran or its proxies.
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