The Biden administration submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations (UN) calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hamas have clashed in Gaza since Oct. 7, the day the terrorist group launched terrorist attacks against Israel, killing over 1,200 civilians and kidnapping hundreds more. The Biden administration is seeking a ceasefire deal that would allow the release of the hostages; Blinken said Wednesday that the UN resolution will send a “strong signal” to the international community. (RELATED: Biden Appears To Cite Hamas-Provided Gaza Casualty Figures After Saying He Has ‘No Confidence’ In Them)

“We hope very much that countries will support that,” Blinken said during an interview in Saudi Arabia. “But, of course, we stand with Israel and its right to defend itself, to make sure that October 7th never happens again, but at the same time, it’s imperative that the civilians who are in harm’s way and who are suffering so terribly – that we focus on them, that we make them a priority, protecting the civilians, getting them humanitarian assistance.”

“And we’ve been leading the effort to do that, to get more in, to get more to the people who need it,” Blinken said. “We are pressing on that as hard as we can.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Mar. 20, 2024, for talks with Saudi leadership about the ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

Blinken did not say how long the ceasefire would be but noted that the UN draft resolution would “create the conditions” to make it “lasting” and “enduring.” Israel is adamant that there cannot be a full-scale ceasefire until Hamas is eradicated from the region completely.

Israel and Hamas started another round of negotiations on a deal this week. One proposal being considered is a six-week ceasefire and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for dozens of hostages in Hamas captivity, according to Axios.

The relationship between the Biden administration and the Israeli government has become strained over disagreements as to how the war should be carried out and who should govern the Gaza region after the war ends. Israel is set to soon begin ground operations in Rafah, the southernmost and densely populated part of Gaza, which President Joe Biden has called a “red line” that Israel should not cross.

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