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Blinken lands in Israel to push for ceasefire deal after Sinwar’s killing

US Secretary of State arrives in Israel for his 11th trip since October 7th, in a bid to renew hostage deal negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

By The Associated Press

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Tuesday on his 11th visit to the region since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.

He is expected to meet with top officials as the United States looks to revive ceasefire efforts after the killing of top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, but so far none of the warring parties appear to be backing down on longstanding demands.

Israel is still at war with Hamas more than a year after the terrorist group’s Oct. 7 attack, and with Hezbollah in Lebanon, where it launched a ground invasion earlier this month. Israel is also expected to strike Iran after its ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1.

Blinken landed just hours after Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets into central Israel, setting off air raid sirens in the country’s most populated areas but causing no apparent damage or injuries. The Israeli military said it intercepted most of the five projectiles, with one landing in an open area.

The military said another 15 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel at around the same time.

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The United States, Egypt and Qatar have brokered months of talks between Israel and Hamas, trying to strike a deal in which the terror group would release dozens of hostages in return for an end to the war, a lasting cease-fire and the release of jailed Palestinian terrorists.

But both Israel and Hamas accused each other of making new and unacceptable demands over the summer, and the talks ground to a halt in August.

The U.S. has also tried to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, but those efforts fell apart as tensions spiked last month with a series of Israeli strikes that killed the terror group’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and most of his senior commanders.

Israel is currently waging another major operation in northern Gaza, aimed at curbing efforts by Hamas to reassert control over the area.

In Lebanon, Israel has carried out waves of heavy airstrikes across southern Beirut and the country’s south and east, areas where Hezbollah has a strong presence. Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets, missiles and drones into Israel, including some that have reached the country’s populous center.