The United States (U.S.), for the first time, is calling for an "immediate ceasefire linked to the release of hostages" in relation to the Israel-Hamas war.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Saudi Arabian media outlet Al Hadath on Mar. 20, 2024 that the U.S. has submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations (UN) Security Council, whose resolutions are legally binding, unlike resolutions passed by the UN General Assembly.

The U.S. has vetoed past UN resolutions that called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza strip, though in February 2024 it proposed a temporary ceasefire "as soon as practicable", on condition of the release of the hostages abducted by Hamas.

Blinken: Immediate ceasefire and releasing hostages could lead to lasting, enduring ceasefire

Blinken made the statement while in Saudi Arabia, which is part of his Middle East tour. He will visit Egypt on Mar. 21 before heading to Israel.

This is Blinken's sixth tour in the region since the Israel-Hamas war broke out.

Blinken said that while the U.S. stands with Israel, and its right to defend itself following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, it is imperative that civilians in Gaza are protected and receiving humanitarian assistance.

He said the call for an immediate ceasefire tied to the release of hostages would broaden access to humanitarian assistance, but also "create the conditions to have a lasting, enduring ceasefire".

He added that the draft resolution "would send a strong message, a strong signal".

No votes scheduled yet

U.S. officials were negotiating for a six-week truce during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in exchange for the release of hostages.

The U.S. put a new amended draft on the table, after negotiations stalled, stressing "the need for an immediate and durable ceasefire to protect civilians on all sides, enable the delivery of essential humanitarian aid, and alleviate suffering ... in conjunction with the release of hostages still held", AFP reported.

No vote has been scheduled on this draft yet.

In the meantime, mediators in Qatar are still pushing for a temporary halt in fighting while Israeli hostages are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners, and the delivery of relief supplies is stepped up.

Half of Gaza heading into famine

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an agency that monitors hunger globally, said on Mar. 18 that almost everyone in Gaza is struggling to get enough food now.

Around 677,000 people — nearly a third of Gaza's 2.3 million population — are experiencing the highest level of catastrophic hunger — an extreme lack of food and critical levels of acute malnutrition.

IPC estimates that 1.11 million people in Gaza, around half of the population, could experience famine at any time between now to mid-July 2024 if hostilities do not come to an end and there is no immediate access to essential supplies and services.

According to the BBC, a famine occurs when a country has such a severe food shortage that its population faces acute malnutrition, starvation, or death.

The situation is more dire in northern Gaza, where the UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that a famine is projected to occur anytime between now and May 2024.

UN Secretary General António Guterres referred to the IPC report on Mar. 18 and said "This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Classification system – anywhere, anytime."

He added: "This is an entirely man-made disaster, and the report makes clear that it can be halted."

Blinken: U.S. is focused on getting as much assistance into Gaza as possible

Blinken told Al Hadath that the U.S. is focused on getting as much assistance into Gaza as possible.

He acknowledged the Al Hadath interviewer who said "the Israelis are not letting the aid in", saying that "more aid is getting in, but it's not enough" and it is "imperative that Israel makes this a priority".

"It has to be the main focus, making sure that more aid gets in and gets to more people. That’s what we’re – that’s what we’re telling Israel. That’s a big part of our focus, and it’s a focus of my trip as well," Blinken said.

Blinken claimed that negotiators in Qatar are currently refining the terms of an agreement, after Hamas did not accept the initial proposal and "came back with other requests, other demands."

He said negotiations are "getting closer", and he believes that an agreement this time is "very much doable, and it is very much necessary".

Israel-Hamas war heading into sixth month

There has only been one ceasefire — between Nov. 24 and 30, 2023 — in the Israel-Hamas war since the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack.

The Oct. 7 attack is believed to be one of the worst civilian massacres in Israeli history, leaving at least 1,160 in Israel dead, most of whom are civilians, and another 250 taken hostage, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

The war, now heading into its sixth month, has killed almost 32,000 people, most of them women and children, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

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Top image from @SecBlinken/X, formerly Twitter