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The Media Line: Blinken Exits Middle East Without Cease-fire, Calls for Urgent Agreement

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Blinken Exits Middle East Without Cease-fire, Calls for Urgent Agreement

By The Media Line Staff

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has wrapped up his latest diplomatic visit to the Middle East, focused on securing a cease-fire in Gaza, but left Tuesday without a breakthrough. After meetings with leaders from Egypt, Qatar, and Israel, Blinken emphasized that a cease-fire deal was urgently needed. He pointed out that Israel had agreed to a US-led bridging proposal to narrow differences with Hamas, but that securing Hamas’ approval remained a challenge.

The cease-fire talks have been fraught with difficulties, with Hamas accusing the US of backing Israeli demands that disrupt earlier agreements. While few details have emerged about the latest cease-fire proposal, Blinken confirmed it includes a timeline for Israeli military withdrawals from Gaza, though he rejected claims that Israel would permanently occupy the Philadelphi Corridor, a strategic area between Gaza and Egypt. This proposal has also faced resistance from Egypt and Hamas, who oppose any long-term Israeli presence in the area.

The negotiations are under pressure due to the high death toll from the ongoing conflict, which Palestinian health officials say has claimed over 40,000 lives. Israel’s military campaign began after Hamas’s October 7 attacks, which killed around 1,200 Israelis and resulted in the abduction of about 250 hostages.

Blinken described the current effort as “probably the best, possibly the last opportunity” to secure a deal. Yet, Hamas remains skeptical, with one official accusing Blinken of “lies” that have stalled progress.

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