Blinken Set to Visit Occupied Territories in Effort to Champion Gaza Ceasefire

According to SAEDNEWS, The top US diplomat's ninth trip to the region since the war began in October last year comes days after the US presented bridging proposals that, along with mediators Qatar and Egypt, are believed to close gaps between the warring parties, according to The Guardian.

US officials have expressed fresh optimism regarding the possibility of finalizing a deal but remain cautious, noting that significant work still lies ahead. “What we’ve done is taken the gaps that remain and have bridged those in a way that we think basically is a deal that is now ready to close and implement and move forward,” a senior Biden administration official told reporters on Friday.

However, Hamas political bureau member Sami Abu Zuhri countered this optimism, telling AFP, “To say that we are getting close to a deal is an illusion.” He added, “We are not facing a deal or real negotiations, but rather the imposing of American diktats.”

In occupied territories, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials. Talks on how to implement the proposed deal are anticipated to continue early next week, with senior officials set to reconvene in Cairo, aiming to finalize the deal later that week.

Israel’s negotiating team expressed “cautious optimism” about the potential for advancing a deal in a statement released on Saturday from Netanyahu’s office. However, Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha told Al Jazeera TV that Israel had added new conditions to the ceasefire discussions, claiming that Netanyahu is employing these to hinder progress.

Despite the growing hopes for a ceasefire, Israel has persisted in its military campaign against Gaza. This ongoing assault has devastated much of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of more than 40,000 Palestinians, largely civilians, per Palestinian health authorities. This staggering figure does not account for those believed to be buried under rubble or those who have succumbed to malnutrition and lack of medical care due to the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure.