Blinken announces ceasefire in Gaza in his visit to France

france - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that they are very close to reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza while negotiations between Israel and Hamas continue.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his final official visit to France, thanked French President Emmanuel Macron and the government for their "extraordinary partnerships" and emphasized the importance of the US-France partnership in building a "more certain, prosperous, and secure" world.

Blinken stated that they are very close to reaching agreements on ceasefire and hostage situations in the Middle East, especially in Gaza. He expressed hope to achieve this during the remaining time of their term, but if not, the plan put forth by President Joe Biden for a ceasefire-hostage agreement will be passed on to the next administration. Blinken also mentioned the recent withdrawal of more than a third of Israeli forces from the south of Lebanon and expressed optimism that the ceasefire could be a bridge to a "lasting peace."

Regarding Turkey, Blinken acknowledged Turkey's legitimate concerns about PKK and terrorism and stated that the US works closely with its ally Turkey on these issues. He also touched upon the situation in Ukraine, highlighting the importance of Ukraine's security for Europe's security and praising France's support for Ukraine.

Blinken also discussed the need to work towards a prosperous and sovereign Syria after the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. He criticized Russia for supporting China and North Korea, accusing them of supporting Russia.

addressing comments made by American businessman Elon Musk supporting far-right movements in Europe, Blinken emphasized Musk's right to voice his opinions as a citizen.

In his remarks, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot praised Blinken for his contributions to solving numerous regional crises during his tenure, especially in the Middle East. He cited the efforts of the US and France in achieving a ceasefire in Lebanon as an example.

Barrot noted that a ceasefire had been achieved in Lebanon through joint efforts of the US and France, leading to the upcoming presidential election in Lebanon. Blinken concluded his official visit to France following his meetings in Japan and South Korea, with US President Joe Biden set to hand over the presidency to Donald Trump on January 20th.