Riyad (Web Desk/Agencies): Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a phone call on Sunday, discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the international media reported.
In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said that the top diplomats discussed “developments in the region, including efforts to end the war on the Gaza Strip and developments in Sudan and Yemen.
Apart from discussing ongoing efforts to finalize ceasefire deal for Gaza, the state department said that the top US diplomat also discussed ways to prevent regional escalation and thanked Saudi Arabia’s work to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Earlier on Sunday, Blinken arrived in Israel on a Middle East tour aimed at pushing parties involved in the Gaza conflict to agree to a ceasefire deal.
The US secretary of state will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials today before flying to Egypt where US, Egyptian, Israeli intelligence chiefs as well as senior Qatari officials will meet behind the scenes as part of efforts to finalize Gaza ceasefire deal this week.
On the other hand, the Palestinian group Hamas has not yet participated in these talks which were held for two days last week in Qatari Capital Doha.
Hama says Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is obstructing the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner-hostage swap agreement.
In a statement, Hamas said Netanyahu imposed new conditions for prisoner-hostage swap in Gaza; withdrew from other terms, which prevents completion of deal.