US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Sunday evening to advance discussions on a Gaza cease-fire and a potential prisoner swap with Hamas.
During his visit, Blinken is set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday, according to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.
He is also expected to travel to Egypt on Tuesday as part of his tour.
Cease-fire negotiations in Doha, Qatar, concluded on Friday with a proposal aimed at bridging the gap between Israel and Hamas, in line with the principles outlined by US President Joe Biden on May 31. Biden’s plan includes a three-phase approach: a cease-fire, a hostage-prisoner exchange, and the reconstruction of Gaza.
The US, Qatar, and Egypt have been working for months to broker an agreement between Israel and Hamas to facilitate a prisoner exchange, establish a cease-fire, and enable humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. However, these efforts have faced challenges due to Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands.
