Blinken Heads Back to Middle East as Gaza Truce Hopes Rise

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken left Saturday on a mission to the Middle East to push ahead a Gaza ceasefire deal, as cautious optimism rises. The top US diplomat, who is putting off vacation plans for his ninth trip to the Middle East since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, will fly to Tel Aviv ahead of expected meetings with the Israeli leadership.

He has routinely visited Arab states on previous trips but no further stops were immediately announced. US officials said they made progress and offered a proposal to bridge gaps between Israel and Hamas, with talks to resume later in the coming week in Cairo.