Blinken says 'progress' made on cease-fire in Lebanon

WASHINGTON

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday there has been "progress" toward a cease-fire in Lebanon, the basis of which would be UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

"We are working very hard and making progress on reaching understandings of what would be required to be effective implementation of the Security Council Resolution 1701," Blinken told reporters at a news conference in Washington.

Blinken said, citing his recent trip to the Middle East, that the parties have made "good progress" on those understandings "We still have more work to do, but that's what's necessary to get us to a diplomatic resolution, including through a cease-fire."

"It's important to make sure we have clarity, both from Lebanon and from Israel, about what would be required under 1701 to get its effective implementation," he added.

Blinken claimed that there has been progress in the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, contradicting reports that claim otherwise.

"There's been progress, but insufficient,” he said, and stressed it is not enough to allow aid trucks into Gaza but "vital" that they are distributed "effectively" inside of the enclave.