Gaza war: US submitted draft resolution to UNSC calling for immediate truce, says Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is currently on a tour of the Middle East, said on Wednesday (Mar 20) that Washington submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war linked to the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip. In an interview with the Saudi Al-Hadath channel, he said,"We have in fact submitted a resolution which is now before the Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire linked to the release of the hostages, and we very much hope that countries will support it."

Blinken said that a good offer was given to Hamas, but the Palestinian militant group did not accept it. "If Hamas cares about the residents of Gaza, it will reach an agreement," he added.

Blinken's sixth tour to Middle East

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Blinken started his Middle East tour, his sixth since the war began,on Wednesday by holding talks in Saudi Arabia. He met Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

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According to US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, Blinken and Prince Faisal had discussed the urgent need to protect all civilians in Gaza and immediately increase humanitarian assistance, and underlined the importance of preparing for the phase following the end of the conflict.

Blinken also met Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

From Saudi Arabia, Blinken will go to Egypt where he will meet the foreign ministers of six Arab countries and the envoy of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. On Friday, Blinken will be in Israel and hold a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of the war cabinet.

Fighting intensifies in northern Gaza

Blinken's Middle East tour comes as fighting has intensified in recent days in northern parts of Gaza captured by Israeli forces early in the war, including the Al Shifa hospital.

On Wednesday, the Israeli military said it had killed around 90 gunmen and arrested 160 in a raid on the hospital. "Over the past day, the troops have eliminated terrorists and located weapons in the hospital area, while preventing harm to civilians, patients, medical teams, and medical equipment," the military said in a statement.

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The military added it had sent in special forces supported by infantry and tanks, based on intelligence that the hospital was again being used by gunmen. However, Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of Gaza's Hamas-run government media office, told the news agency Reuters that all of those killed had been wounded patients and displaced persons inside the hospital.

(With inputs from agencies)