US ignores calls for ceasefire; justifies Israeli crimes
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During a press briefing, the State Department's spokesperson explained that any ceasefire would allow Hamas to continue carrying out "terrorist attacks" against the Israeli occupation.
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Palestinians evacuate wounded in Israeli aerial bombing on Jabaliya, near Gaza City, occupied Palestine, October 11, 2023 (AP)
The US is worried that a ceasefire agreement would give Hamas respite and the ability to prepare further "attacks on 'Israel'," US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Monday.
During a press briefing, Miller explained that "There are rockets" ready to be launched at the Israeli occupation, adding that any ceasefire would allow Hamas to continue to carry out "terrorist attacks" against the occupation.
Miller called it "an intolerable situation for "Israel," justifying the occupation's continued aggression on Gaza.
A Friday poll has revealed that most Republicans support a call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
According to the survey, 66% of voters "strongly agree" or "somewhat agree" that "the US should call for a ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence in Gaza," as well as utilize its strong ties with "Israel" in order to prevent further civilian deaths.
This comes as numerous Democrats, including Representatives Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Pressley, called for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza on Friday.
Ceasefire in Palestine not anytime soon: Israeli official to CNN
Despite efforts by the United States and Qatar to secure a ceasefire, it appears that a ceasefire is not on the immediate horizon, according to a senior Israeli official cited by CNN.
On Sunday, CNN reported that Washington had exerted pressure on the Israeli government to delay a ground invasion in Gaza for the sake of facilitating the release of more hostages.
The Israeli government, however, seems to be unaware of such calls for a delay to the ground operation. The official quoted in the report stated that both "Israel" and the United States share the goal of securing the swift release of all captives.
'Stop groundless hyping'
The spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, called for an end to groundless hyping of the deployment of Chinese warships to the Middle East amid the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
Six Chinese warships, including a guided-missile destroyer, have been operating in the Middle East since last week, which included a joint exercise with Oman's navy, media reported.
"The fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy set sail for escort mission and is paying friendly visits to relevant countries," Liu made it clear in a statement to Sputnik on Sunday, stressing that "the relevant parties should respect the facts and stop groundless hyping."
According to media reports, the Chinese navy has been involved in routine deployments to the Middle East since May, particularly to conduct escort missions for shipping.
It is noteworthy that since the start of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, Beijing has expressed its readiness to play a role in injecting certainty and stability into the Middle East region and the world, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza to stop the war as soon as possible in order to prevent its expansion.
Chinese Special Envoy on the Middle East Zhai Jun relayed that China was expressing worry regarding a possible escalation of the war on Gaza and urged both parties to a ceasefire.
During a press conference after the Cairo Summit for Peace in Egypt, he said: "China is deeply concerned about the prospect of further escalation of the conflict," adding that the current situation in Gaza is critical.
