Cameron: We See Progress Towards a Ceasefire in Gaza

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron indicated on Friday, after a tour in the Middle East, that "progress has been made towards reaching an agreement to cease hostilities in Gaza, bring in more aid, and release the Israeli hostages held there." In an interview in Istanbul, his final stop on the tour, Cameron stated, "Israel is considering a British proposal to open the port of Ashdod to shipments to Gaza, but it will require a lot of pressure" to reach an agreement. He continued, "Reaching a ceasefire where we stop fighting and begin to consider how to bring in aid and release hostages... I believe there is a possibility of achieving that." He added, "This is what I have been discussing during my tour in the region. I think we are making some progress." Cameron met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders during his third trip to the Middle East in just over two months. He noted that he "pushed for a permanent ceasefire in meetings in Israel, the occupied West Bank, Qatar, and Turkey." He stated, "I was advocating for what I believe is in everyone's interest, including Israel's—achieving a ceasefire immediately because only then can the hostages be returned."