let s return to ukraine. let s return to the middle east. the us s top diplomat has accused russia and china of cynically vetoing the resolution at the un security council for an immediate ceasefire linked to the release of hostages. anthony blinken said they did that despite widespread support for the measure among other countries. i have spoken to a senior member of israel s parliament who gave me his reaction to the us resolution being blocked. we gave me his reaction to the us resolution being blocked. we are in touch with our resolution being blocked. we are in touch with our allies resolution being blocked. we are in touch with our allies in resolution being blocked. we are in touch with our allies in the - resolution being blocked. we are in touch with our allies in the us. - touch with our allies in the us. secretary blinken is in israel and met with the prime minister. we are in open discussion with our allies. we are determined to finish this war and bring
in gaza to the release of hostages held by hamas. washington has previously vetoed three ceasefire resolutions but has grown increasingly critical of israel s military campaign. our reporter will vernon has the story. this is antony blinken s sixth trip to the middle east since the war in gaza began. the secretary of state met egyptian officials on thursday, holding crucial negotiations to bring an end to the fighting. mr blinken said very good progress was made in the talks. the i a . s progress was made in the talks. the a -s are progress was made in the talks. tue: gaps are narrowing, progress was made in the talks. tt;é: gaps are narrowing, we progress was made in the talks. tte: gaps are narrowing, we still progress was made in the talks. tt9 gaps are narrowing, we still have work to do but i believe the progress is good, it is real, i can t put a timeframe on it but we are getting close to a point i believe what we will have agreements. fin believe what we will have
the goal of ensuring israel s long term security. as we have said, though, a major military ground operation in rafah is not the way to do it. it risks killing more civilians, wreaking greater havoc with the provision of humanitarian assistance, and further isolating israel around the world, and jeopardising its long term security and standing. so we are looking for to having israeli officials in washington next week to talk about a different way of achieving these objectives, objectives we share of defeating hamas and ensuring israel s long term security. it an integrated humanitarian, military and political plan. as i said, we will be talking about that next week, going through the details of what we see as the best way forward. we also had an opportunity to talk about the longer term trajectory, what needs to happen once the conflict in gaza is over. conversations we have had with arab partners in the last couple of days, and with israel as well. we are determined that isr
words, and also talking about how there is progress also in talking with regional actors about who and what could run gaza and reconstruct in gaza after the guns fall silent. mr blinken was also saying that the us has circulated a draft un security council resolution, calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, linked to the release of the hostages by hamas, and now the fact that the us has blocked and vetoed three previous resolutions calling for a cessation of hostilities suggest that the us is hardening its language and getting increasingly exasperated by israel, and by the conduct of the war in gaza, evenif the conduct of the war in gaza, even if the resolution that the us has circulated is still very much linked to the release of hostages and demanding that the hostages and demanding that the hostages be released as part of that ceasefire deal. now the exasperation with israel i think would grow if the israeli ministry does indeed invade rafah as prime minister neta