WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel this weekend to push forward a Gaza ceasefire agreement as the United States tries to bridge the gaps in talks, the State Department said on Friday.
Blinken will leave the US on Saturday and seeks to finalize the agreement for a ceasefire and release of captives and detainees through the bridging proposal presented during talks in Doha by the United States, said the State Department.
President Joe Biden earlier Friday said that “we are closer than we have ever been” to a ceasefire in the 10-month-old Gaza war.
The White House earlier said diplomats will keep working on details with a hope to finalize the accord later next week in Cairo.
“This proposal would achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, secure the release of all hostages, ensure humanitarian assistance is distributed throughout Gaza and create the conditions for broader regional stability,” the statement said.
“Secretary Blinken will underscore the critical need for all parties in the region to avoid escalation or any other actions that could undermine the ability to finalize an agreement,” it said.
It will be the ninth trip of Blinken to the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas started in Gaza on October 7.
