Secretary Blinken’s Call with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The Secretary and Foreign Minister continued their discussions about the proposal to achieve an enduring ceasefire in Gaza and secure the release of all hostages. The Secretary reiterated that it is Hamas that is standing in the way of a ceasefire and that they should take the deal without further delay. He underscored that the proposal would greatly benefit the population in Gaza through a surge of humanitarian assistance, enable the return of displaced persons to areas throughout Gaza, and permit international reconstruction efforts to begin. The Secretary and the Foreign Minister discussed how the proposed deal would further ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the Middle East that the United States and Saudi Arabia have been pursuing bilaterally and with Arab partners. The Secretary thanked Saudi Arabia for its continued delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people in Gaza. The Secretary and the Foreign Minister agreed on the urgent need for a ceasefire and humanitarian access in Sudan and discussed next steps to resume negotiations.