Blinken went to Israel ninth time since October 7: Purpose of visit
Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State (photo: Getty Images)
Today, August 18, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Israel for the ninth time since October 7, hoping to conclude a Gaza ceasefire agreement, reports The Times of Israel.
Blinken reportedly traveled to Israel, where US, Egyptian, and Qatari mediators are seeking to cement a ceasefire agreement in Gaza after two days of talks in Doha.
Making his ninth trip to the Middle East since the start of the Gaza war (following Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023), Blinken planned to meet with Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Later on Sunday, Israeli negotiators are due to hold further talks in Cairo, while the working groups remain in Doha. Another such summit is also tentatively scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday in Cairo. US officials intend to finalize the long-awaited deal by the end of next week.
In recent days, mediators have said that the talks are moving forward, and US President Joe Biden told reporters at the White House on Friday that a deal is closer than ever.
“What we’ve done is taken the gaps that remain and have bridged those in a way that we think basically is a deal that is now ready to close and implement and move forward,” a senior Biden administration official told reporters on Friday.
At the same time, Hamas politburo member Sami Abu Zuhri expressed cautious optimism, telling AFP that signs of progress after two days of talks in Doha were “an illusion.”
“We are not facing a deal or real negotiations, but rather the imposing of American diktats,” he said.
According to The New York Times, Iran is likely to postpone a “retaliatory strike” against Israel after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran. This is due to the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine analyzed how the Middle East tried to stop the unfolding of a full-scale war between Iran, Israel, and their allies through diplomatic means. In the article, we described how it happened and what to expect next.
