The White House said U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi to discuss ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, the Lebanese presidential election, and the Houthis’ ongoing threats to regional and international security, including detention of diplomats and NGO and UN staff.
.@SecBlinken spoke with Omani Foreign Minister @badralbusaidi to discuss regional security and ongoing efforts towards stability and peace in Syria, Gaza, and Yemen.
— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) January 10, 2025
Let us recall that Antony Blinken expressed hope that negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will be completed by mid-January. He also noted that negotiations on the release of the hostages could be completed within two weeks, which would speed up the process of their release. This statement came amid reports from the Israeli side that progress had been made in the negotiations, despite remaining differences.
According to information published on the website of Channel 12, an unnamed senior source involved in the negotiations clarified that Hamas continues to demand a cessation of hostilities in exchange for the release of all hostages. However, current agreements concern only humanitarian cases. The source also noted that Israel is taking measures to minimize hostilities in areas where, according to information, prisoners may be located.
