US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Muqata in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Nov 5, 2023. (PHOTO / POOL VIA AP)

RAMALLAH/BAGHDAD/ NICOSIA - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has rejected Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's request for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, according to a Palestinian official.

The official told Xinhua that Blinken reaffirmed during his meeting with Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah "Israel's right to defend itself and continue its military campaign" in Gaza.

Blinken's visit to Ramallah lasted for about an hour, during which he met with Abbas and his senior aides to discuss the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, said the official who wished to remain anonymous.

Blinken affirmed his country's willingness to continue bilateral coordination and cooperation with Iraq to enhance regional and international stability

He said Blinken had promised to pressure Israel to avoid harming civilians and provide safe corridors for humanitarian relief, but refused to discuss ceasefire mechanisms at this stage.

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The official added that Abbas and Blinken agreed to adhere to the two-state solution and work on it after the end of the conflict in Gaza.

Talks with Iraqi PM

The senior US official also held talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani in Baghdad on Sunday evening.

Al-Sudani reiterated Iraq's call for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of safe corridors to prevent deterioration of the humanitarian crisis, which has tragically affected civilians, including women and children, according to a statement by al-Sudani's media office.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks with reporters about his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani before departing Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, Nov 5, 2023. (PHOTO / POOL VIA AP)

Blinken affirmed his country's willingness to continue bilateral coordination and cooperation with Iraq to enhance regional and international stability.

After the meeting, Blinken told a press conference that "good progress has been made in the discussions regarding a humanitarian truce in Gaza."

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He noted the United States does not want any confrontation with Iran, adding "we will make our efforts to ensure that the conflict does not expand beyond Gaza."

He said that "a very clear message is sent to those who threaten US military personnel that they should not do so."

Maritime aid corridor

On Sunday, Blinken also visited Nicosia to meet with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. 

They discussed a Cypriot proposal to establish a maritime aid corridor to the Gaza Strip, Cypriot government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said.

In a written statement, Letymbiotis said that during the meeting they discussed the unfolding situation in the Middle East and stressed the need for a scaling down of the crisis.

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"They also discussed in detail Cyprus' initiative for the establishment of a dedicated maritime corridor to deliver humanitarian aid to the population in Gaza."

Christodoulides earlier told the press that the details of how the aid could be delivered to Gaza are still being worked out. The Cypriot government is talking with the United Nations about how to handle the humanitarian aid, he added.

The Israel-Hamas conflict, raging for nearly a month, has led to the deaths of 9,770 Palestinians in Gaza, while in Israel, more than 1,400 people lost their lives.