Ceasefire elusive as Blinken leaves Middle East, with future Israeli presence in Gaza key sticking point
The US secretary of state’s ninth visit to the region since the start of the conflict has ended without truce agreement
US secretary of state Antony Blinken said that “time is of the essence” to secure a Gaza ceasefire, as he wrapped up a Middle East tour with an agreement between Israel and Hamas still elusive.
The deal “needs to get done, and it needs to get done in the days ahead,” Blinken told reporters in Doha before departing for Washington, as he reiterated his call for Hamas to accept a “bridging proposal” for a deal, which he said Israel had accepted, and asked both parties to work towards finalising it.