Blinken meets Palestinian president in Ramallah to push for Gaza cease-fire

By Qais Abo Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Wednesday amid efforts to push for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

“Blinken held a meeting with Abbas upon his arrival in Ramallah,” a source in the latter's office told Anadolu.

Further details of the meeting were not immediately available.

Earlier on Wednesday Blinken met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.

The US, Qatar and Egypt, the key mediators between Hamas and Israel, confirmed they have received a response from the Palestinian group to a framework agreement for a cease-fire and hostage-prisoner swap with Israel.

A Palestinian source told Anadolu that Hamas has proposed a 3-stage plan for a Gaza cease-fire that includes a 135-day pause in fighting in return for hostage releases.

The Israeli war in the Palestinian enclave began after an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, in which some 1,200 people are believed to have been killed, and around 240 taken as hostages.

Over 100 hostages were released during a weeklong pause in fighting in November in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

Israel’s attacks have killed more than 27,000 Palestinians, and about 85% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million has been displaced, according to the UN.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio