Blinken to visit Israel to prevent disruption of Gaza negotiations
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (Photo: Getty Images)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel this weekend to discuss preparations for another round of ceasefire talks in Gaza, according to Bloomberg.
During his ninth visit to the region since the war began in October 2023, the head of US diplomacy will meet with Israeli officials.
"Secretary Blinken will underscore the critical need for all parties in the region to avoid escalation or any other actions that could undermine the ability to finalize an agreement," State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement.
Following two days of talks in Qatar, international mediators plan to resume ceasefire negotiations in Cairo, Egypt, by the end of next week.
A major question remains about Hamas, which did not send a representative to the last round of negotiations. A spokesperson for the group accused Israel of introducing new conditions to sabotage the talks.
On Thursday, Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, held talks with Iran's Acting Foreign Minister, Ali Bagheri Kani.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry reported that Al Thani stressed the need for calm and de-escalation in the region.
Peace talks on Gaza
On Thursday, August 15, a new round of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas took place with the participation of international mediators.
During the meeting, the US presented the parties with a new position for a ceasefire in Gaza.
On Friday, August 16, US President Joe Biden stated that a peace agreement is "closer than we've ever been."
Meanwhile, officials from allied nations are working to dissuade Iran from launching a large-scale "revenge" attack on Israel following the July 31 assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
