Shoukry Calls for US Influence in Halting Gaza Violence, Blinken Seeks Ceasefire with Hostage Release

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry urged the United States to utilize its influence over Israel to prevent further bloodshed in Gaza during a meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His statement came after other Arab leaders at WEF expressed belief that it was America’s responsibility to bring an end to hostilities between Hamas and Israeli forces. Shoukry called on Washington to “leverage their ability to provide incentives but also indicate consequences for the lack of achievement or the lack of progress in halting acts of violence,” noting, “only the United States has overall ability to influence conditions.” Israel’s latest ceasefire proposal is being reviewed by Hamas, who have pledged not to rebuild infrastructure damaged during their attacks on Israeli cities. Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken both urged America’s ally in the Middle East to halt its assault on Rafah, a southern Gaza city where over one million people are sheltering. Israel has threatened to enter this area for weeks but allies have warned against such action while food and water supplies remain cut off from the region’s population of roughly 2.3 million individuals. The ongoing Israeli air strikes and land invasion following Hamas-led terror attacks on October 7, in which more than a thousand people lost their lives inside Israel along with hundreds of Palestinian captives now held by Jewish forces, has so far led to over 34,000 deaths according to the health ministry based within Gaza. U.S Secretary Blinken is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia on Monday before moving onto Jordan and Israeli cities as he aims “to discuss ongoing efforts aimed at securing a ceasefire that allows hostages [and other captured Palestinians] to be released.”