Blinken meets Arab partners in Amman to discuss humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, hostages

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday, November 4 held meeting with several Arab partners in Amman, Jordan to discuss ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Foreign Minister Ayman Safi said in a statement that Jordan has convened counterparts from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Qatar, Secretary of Executive Committee of Palestine Liberation Organization, all of whom met with US Secretary of State Blinken.

During meeting with several Arab partners in Amman, Blinken focussed on ending war in Middle East, and dressed “ humanitarian catastrophe it has caused.” He met with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Qatar has served as key mediator in Israel-Hamas war and has helped in securing release of four hostages since October 7 attack into border towns of Israel where terror group took several people hostage including foreign passport holders, and Americans. Qatar has played a role of an influential interlocutor in securing safe passage for foreign citizens and injured Palestinians to leave Gaza and cross into Egypt via Rafah crossing. Blinken also met with he of United Nations agency which is in charge of assisting Palestinian refugees, and expressed condolences for loss of 70 of its staff members, highest in any conflict in world.

Blinken met with Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati during his third trip to Arab region since Israel launched ground offensive inside besieged strip of Gaza. US has been pushing for a humanitarian pause to get more aid into Gaza and secure release of hostages. Blinken’s meeting with Arab partners to discuss civilian casualties, humanitarian aid, and release of hostages in Amman comes after he concluded Israel visit where he met with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and pressed for ‘pause’ to hostilities.

While in Arab region, Blinken also plans to meet with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, whose country recalled its ambassor to Israel this week citing humanitarian catastrophe. Arab partners gared to meet with US Secretary of State on request of Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman al-Safi, who stated that meeting was organised “in context of ir efforts aimed at stopping Israeli war on Gaza and humanitarian catastrophe it is causing."

Arabs to insist US to resist ‘any talks’ on postwar period in Gaza: Egyptian officials

Egyptian officials noted in a statement that Arab governments are involved in discussions with US to resist “any talks” on postwar period in Gaza, establish a ceasefire and allow delivery of more humanitarian aid and fuel. An estimated 100 trucks have entered Gaza over past two days, and capacity is expected to ramp up to 100 to 105 per day.

Despite Blinken’s in-person visit, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a televised statement ahe of start of Shabbat said that re would be no humanitarian pause and no fuel will be allowed into besieged strip of Gaza until hostages held by terror group Hamas are released unconditionally.