Blinken meets Israeli leaders for Gaza ceasefire talks
Top US diplomat Antony Blinken urged Israel and Hamas on Monday not to derail negotiations that he described as potentially the “last opportunity” to secure a Gaza truce and a hostage release deal.
Blinken, on his ninth regional tour since Hamas’s 7th October attack triggered the war, stated that he returned to Israel “to bring this agreement to fruition.”
“This is a decisive moment—probably the best, and maybe the last, opportunity to bring the hostages home, secure a ceasefire, and set everyone on a path to lasting peace and security,” Blinken said during a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv.
The US Secretary of State later met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and is scheduled to travel to Cairo on Tuesday, where ceasefire talks are expected to resume this week.
Israel and Hamas have blamed each other for delays in reaching a truce accord, which diplomats believe could help avert a broader conflict in the Middle East.
“We’re working to ensure there is no escalation, no provocations, and no actions that could move us away from finalising this deal, or escalate the conflict to other areas and greater intensity,” Blinken said.
“It is time to get it done. It’s also time to ensure that no one takes any steps that could derail this process.”
