Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken led the United States in welcoming the ceasefire in Gaza and Israel Aug. 8.
Israeli and Palestinian civilians will welcome the respite the agreement provides, he said in a State Department news statement.
“The United States welcomes the agreement today to bring an end to hostilities and restore calm in Gaza and Israel,” Blinken said in the release.
The ceasefire also enables deliveries of critical fuel and other supplies into Gaza, he said, the release reported.
“We express our condolences to the families of civilians who lost their lives or were injured,” Blinken said, according to the release.
He expressed gratitude for Egypt’s efforts in mediating the agreement, and the important roles he said Qatar, UN Special Envoy Wennesland, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority played. The State Department team worked non-stop with them to support the ceasefire, the release said.
“The United States remains dedicated to our ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and will remain fully engaged in the days ahead to promote calm,” Blinken said in the release. “We will continue in the months ahead to work with partners to improve the quality of life for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Palestinians and Israelis deserve to live safely and securely and to enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy.”
