US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken flew to Tel Aviv as part of his Middle East tour to try to persuade Israel and Hamas to conclude a ceasefire agreement. This was reported on Sunday, August 18, by Reuters, according to UNN.
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The US State Department noted that on Monday, Blinken will meet with Israel's top leadership, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Meetings are also scheduled with Defense Minister Yoav Galant, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, and Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog.
After Israel, Blinken will travel to Egypt.
Negotiations on a ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages held in Gaza are now at a “tipping point,” a senior Biden administration official told reporters on his way to Tel Aviv. According to him, Blinken is going to emphasize to all parties the importance of bringing this agreement to the finish line.
According to Reuters, the mediating countries - Qatar, the United States, and Egypt - have not been able to reach an agreement in several months of negotiations.