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Kerry Vows to Continue Push for Gaza Cease-Fire Kerry Vows to Continue Push for Gaza Cease-Fire
(35 minutes later)
CAIRO — Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday that an intensive effort to arrange a seven-day humanitarian cease-fire in the conflict in Gaza had fallen short, but he promised to keep trying.CAIRO — Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday that an intensive effort to arrange a seven-day humanitarian cease-fire in the conflict in Gaza had fallen short, but he promised to keep trying.
“We believe that seven days will give all the parties the opportunity to step back,” Mr. Kerry said at a news conference in Cairo. “We don’t yet have that final framework, but I will tell you this: None of us here are stopping.”“We believe that seven days will give all the parties the opportunity to step back,” Mr. Kerry said at a news conference in Cairo. “We don’t yet have that final framework, but I will tell you this: None of us here are stopping.”
Mr. Kerry planned to fly to Paris on Friday night to continue his diplomatic push for a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. Mr. Kerry was expected to meet there with the foreign ministers of Qatar and Turkey, two countries that have been supportive of Hamas and are functioning as intermediaries.Mr. Kerry planned to fly to Paris on Friday night to continue his diplomatic push for a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. Mr. Kerry was expected to meet there with the foreign ministers of Qatar and Turkey, two countries that have been supportive of Hamas and are functioning as intermediaries.
Mr. Kerry also planned to meet with the foreign ministers of Britain and France and with Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign policy chief.Mr. Kerry also planned to meet with the foreign ministers of Britain and France and with Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign policy chief.
Mr. Kerry spoke to reporters in Cairo alongside the Egyptian foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry; Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations; and Nabil el-Araby, the head of the Arab League.Mr. Kerry spoke to reporters in Cairo alongside the Egyptian foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry; Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations; and Nabil el-Araby, the head of the Arab League.
Mr. Ban expressed regret that no deal had been reached. He said that the effort had made progress, but that there was more work to do. “The people of Gaza have bled enough,” he said.Mr. Ban expressed regret that no deal had been reached. He said that the effort had made progress, but that there was more work to do. “The people of Gaza have bled enough,” he said.
With no agreement yet on Mr. Kerry’s seven-day proposal, Mr. Ban called for a 12-hour humanitarian cease-fire on Saturday. Mr. Kerry said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel “had indicated his willingness to do that as a good-faith down payment.” It was not clear whether Hamas would agree to the 12-hour cease-fire.With no agreement yet on Mr. Kerry’s seven-day proposal, Mr. Ban called for a 12-hour humanitarian cease-fire on Saturday. Mr. Kerry said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel “had indicated his willingness to do that as a good-faith down payment.” It was not clear whether Hamas would agree to the 12-hour cease-fire.
Mr. Kerry declined to say what the remaining sticking points were in the negotiations. He acknowledged that Israel had raised objections to some aspects of the evolving plan, but he insisted that Mr. Netanyahu had not flatly rejected it because it had never been officially presented to him and his cabinet.Mr. Kerry declined to say what the remaining sticking points were in the negotiations. He acknowledged that Israel had raised objections to some aspects of the evolving plan, but he insisted that Mr. Netanyahu had not flatly rejected it because it had never been officially presented to him and his cabinet.
After a marathon round of phone calls and meetings over five days, Mr. Kerry proposed a two-stage plan to halt the fighting in the Gaza Strip. The first stage would be a weeklong truce starting on Sunday. As soon as the truce took effect, representatives of the two sides would begin negotiations on the principal economic, political and security concerns about Gaza, with other nations attending.After a marathon round of phone calls and meetings over five days, Mr. Kerry proposed a two-stage plan to halt the fighting in the Gaza Strip. The first stage would be a weeklong truce starting on Sunday. As soon as the truce took effect, representatives of the two sides would begin negotiations on the principal economic, political and security concerns about Gaza, with other nations attending.
Each side in the conflict has been reluctant to agree to a cease-fire, for fear that its main concerns would not be met.Each side in the conflict has been reluctant to agree to a cease-fire, for fear that its main concerns would not be met.
Khaled Meshal, the political leader of Hamas, who resides in Qatar, has said that he will not agree to a lengthy cease-fire unless steps are taken to lift the economic blockade surrounding Gaza. In particular, Hamas wants Egypt to open the Rafah border crossing and for Israel to ease its land and sea embargo.Khaled Meshal, the political leader of Hamas, who resides in Qatar, has said that he will not agree to a lengthy cease-fire unless steps are taken to lift the economic blockade surrounding Gaza. In particular, Hamas wants Egypt to open the Rafah border crossing and for Israel to ease its land and sea embargo.
The Israelis, for their part, want to seal the tunnels Hamas has been using to sneak fighters into Israel, and they do not want to ease the blockade unless steps are taken to dismantle Hamas’s attack-rocket infrastructure.The Israelis, for their part, want to seal the tunnels Hamas has been using to sneak fighters into Israel, and they do not want to ease the blockade unless steps are taken to dismantle Hamas’s attack-rocket infrastructure.
Among the unresolved issues is an Israeli proposal that its troops be allowed to remain in Gaza during the temporary truce, and to go on sealing the tunnels. Israel does not want to withdraw its troops only to have them fight their way back into Gaza again.Among the unresolved issues is an Israeli proposal that its troops be allowed to remain in Gaza during the temporary truce, and to go on sealing the tunnels. Israel does not want to withdraw its troops only to have them fight their way back into Gaza again.
In discussing his decision to send Mr. Kerry to the region to seek a cease-fire, President Obama asserted on Monday that the Israeli military had already done “significant damage to Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure in Gaza.” But Israeli leaders have signaled that they through more still needed to be done to deal with the tunnel threat. In discussing his decision to send Mr. Kerry to the region to seek a cease-fire, President Obama asserted on Monday that the Israeli military had already done “significant damage to Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure in Gaza.” But Israeli leaders have signaled that they think more still needs to be done to deal with the tunnel threat.