Blinken arrives in Egypt to further push Gaza ceasefire

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Egypt on Tuesday (August 20) to further push an agreement presented by Washington for a ceasefire deal in Gaza, Reuters reports.

 

Blinken said on Monday (August 19) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted a "bridging proposal" to tackle disagreements blocking a ceasefire deal, and urged Hamas to do the same.

 

Talks in Qatar seeking a ceasefire and hostage return agreement last week paused without a breakthrough, but were expected to resume this week based on the U.S. proposal to bridge the gaps between Israel and Hamas.

 

Blinken's visit comes as U.S. President Joe Biden faces mounting election-year pressure over his stance on the conflict, with his Democratic party starting its national convention on Monday amid pro-Palestinian protests and worries about Muslim and Arab American votes in swing states.

 

However, with the Palestinian Islamist group announcing a resumption of suicide bombing inside Israel after many years, and claiming responsibility for a blast in Tel Aviv on Sunday night, and medics saying Israeli military strikes killed at least 30 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Monday, there are few signs of conciliation on the ground and fears of wider war.