Upon arriving in Tel Aviv on Sunday for his ninth visit to the Middle East since Hamas’s attack on Israel in October, the top US diplomat was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and President Isaac Herzog.
Gaza-Blinken will then proceed to Cairo on Tuesday, where ceasefire negotiations are expected to resume in the coming days.
Diplomats believe that a deal concerning Gaza could help prevent a broader conflict, and a US official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, emphasized that this is “a particularly critical time.”
Blinken’s objective is to urge all parties involved to finalize the remaining aspects of the agreement, according to the official.
More Read: Gaza Under Attack: 19 Killed in Israeli Strikes as Blinken Pushes for Peace
Before meeting with President Isaac Herzog, Blinken described the current moment in Gaza ceasefire talks as “decisive,” characterizing the ongoing diplomatic efforts as “probably the best, maybe the last opportunity” to secure a deal and address the issue of hostages.
In related remarks, President Joe Biden stated on Sunday that a Gaza ceasefire remains a possibility. Despite ongoing blame between Israel and Hamas, Biden, after spending the weekend at Camp David, expressed optimism that an agreement could still be reached, affirming that “we’re not giving up” and that a ceasefire is “still possible.”
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