By TEL AVIV, Israel — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the urgency of concluding a Gaza cease-fire agreement during his visit to Israel on Monday, describing the current moment as “maybe the last” chance for a deal that would return hostages held by Hamas and bring relief to Palestinians.
Blinken, on his ninth mission to the Middle East since the conflict began, arrived days after mediators expressed renewed optimism about a potential agreement. His visit precedes new talks expected this week in Egypt.
“This is a decisive moment, probably the best, maybe the last, opportunity to get the hostages home, to get a cease-fire and to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security,” Blinken said as he opened talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv.
The Secretary of State also cautioned against actions that could derail the process, urging restraint amid fears of a wider regional conflict following recent killings of militant commanders in Lebanon.
Herzog thanked Blinken for the Biden administration’s support, noting recent attacks against Israelis. “This is the way we are living these days,” Herzog said. “We are surrounded by terrorism from all four corners of the earth and we are fighting back as a resilient and strong nation.”
The war, which began on October 7 when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, has resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people in Israel and over 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities.
The evolving cease-fire proposal calls for a three-phase process, including the release of all hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Israel withdrawing its forces from Gaza and releasing Palestinian prisoners.
However, both sides have expressed reservations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet there are areas where Israel can be flexible and others where it cannot. Hamas has accused Netanyahu of setting new obstacles and criticized the latest mediation offer as capitulating to Israel’s demands.
An Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that an Israeli delegation held talks with Egyptian officials on Sunday, focusing on the Philadelphi corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border. The meeting reportedly did not achieve a breakthrough, with Israel insisting on maintaining control of the border and a bisecting route through Gaza.
Blinken is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant later Monday before traveling to Egypt on Tuesday.
As the diplomatic efforts continue, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza persists. The conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents and led to widespread devastation in the territory.
Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. are set to meet again this week in Cairo to attempt to finalize a cease-fire agreement, with responses to the U.S. outline expected to potentially lead to a declaration unless talks collapse.
