Yesterday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy voiced their backing for Israel’s security while cautioning against any “escalatory action” that could hinder hopes for peace.

A joint statement from the UK and US governments followed a meeting between Blinken and Lammy in London. In it, Lammy “expressed the United Kingdom’s clear support for the ongoing mediation efforts by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to conclude the agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages.”

The statement emphasized that “both the United Kingdom and United States underlined their support for Israel’s security and the importance of avoiding any escalatory action in the region which would undermine the prospect for peace and progress towards a two-state solution.”

The statement further detailed their “shared commitment to securing a political agreement for a lasting security solution along the Blue Line that will allow Israeli and Lebanese civilians on both sides to return to their homes with safety and security.”

Additionally, Blinken and Lammy addressed the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, reiterating calls for all involved in the conflict to ensure the protection of civilians. They urged Israel to facilitate aid access and ensure that UN and humanitarian organizations can carry out their work safely. They also highlighted the ongoing polio vaccination efforts and the need for cooperation from all parties, ensuring that health agencies, including the WHO, can vaccinate children in need.

Iran’s nuclear program was another topic of discussion, with Blinken and Lammy agreeing that “Iran’s nuclear program had never been more advanced and posed a clear threat to regional and global peace and security.”

The US has been pushing a framework for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, initially proposed by President Joe Biden in May, although Hamas has consistently rejected each version of the plan.

On Wednesday, Hamas stated again that its representatives were prepared to enforce an “immediate” ceasefire with Israel in Gaza, contingent on a previous US plan without new stipulations.

Blinken, on Tuesday, remained optimistic, downplaying concerns about the lack of a breakthrough on a hostage deal. He mentioned that the US would soon introduce a fresh proposal for a possible agreement.

“On the ceasefire, here’s what I can tell you: More than 90 percent of the issues have been agreed, decided. So we’re down to a handful of issues – not even a handful of issues – that are hard but fully resolvable, in our judgment. And as we’ve said before, when you get down to the last 10 percent, the last 10 meters, those are, almost by definition, the hardest ground to cover. But we believe that these are fully resolvable,” Blinken explained to reporters.

“We’re currently working closely with our Egyptian and Qatari partners to resolve the remaining gaps. And soon, very soon, we’ll present this to the involved parties and await their response,” he added.

{Matzav.com}