Blinken is set to visit Israel as the U.S. advocates for a ceasefire in Gaza

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling to Israel on Sunday as part of a heightened diplomatic effort by Washington to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, aiming to end the 10-month conflict between Israel and Hamas. This marks Blinken’s tenth visit to the region since the war began in October of the previous year. Recently, the United States, along with mediators Qatar and Egypt, proposed solutions they believe could bridge the remaining gaps between the conflicting parties.

U.S. officials are cautiously optimistic about finalizing the deal but acknowledge that challenges remain. A senior Biden administration official mentioned that they have addressed the remaining issues in a way that makes the deal ready for implementation.

During his visit, Blinken is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials. The negotiations are occurring amid concerns of a broader regional escalation, especially after Iran threatened retaliation following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. Iran held funeral processions for Haniyeh, calling for revenge, and the U.S. has warned Iran against any retaliatory actions, which could have severe consequences.

Foreign ministers from the UK, France, Germany, and Italy have expressed their support for the ceasefire talks, urging all parties to avoid actions that could escalate the situation. Discussions on implementing the deal are set to continue early next week, with senior officials planning to reconvene in Cairo to finalize the agreement.

Israel’s negotiating team has expressed “cautious optimism” about advancing the deal, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office. However, Hamas spokesman Jihad Taha accused Israel of adding conditions to the ceasefire talks, suggesting that Netanyahu is using these conditions to stall progress.

Despite the ongoing negotiations, the conflict continues. On Saturday, an Israeli strike in the Gaza town of Zawayda killed at least 17 Palestinians and wounded dozens, as Israel issued new evacuation orders due to nearby Hamas rocket fire. The latest round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on October 7, when Hamas fighters launched an attack on Israel, resulting in around 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports. Israel’s subsequent military response has devastated much of Gaza, with Palestinian health authorities reporting over 40,000 deaths, mostly civilians, while Israel claims to have killed 17,000 Hamas fighters.