Blinken returns to Israel as Biden pushes for ceasefire by end of the week

President Biden aiming for breakthrough by week’s end to reach deal to secure return of hostages, end war in Gaza.

By World Israel News Staff

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken departed for Israel Sunday, amid optimism in the Biden administration regarding the prospects for a breakthrough in ceasefire deal talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha.

Blinken had been scheduled to arrive in Israel last Thursday, coinciding with the beginning of the summit in Doha, but abruptly postpostened his departure, sparking speculation that the Biden administration fears an Iranian or Hezbollah attack on Israel could spark regional war.

The Secretary of State visit comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the Israeli negotiating team had expressed “cautious optimism” regarding the possibility of a breakthrough.

“The hostage negotiation team updated the Prime Minister today on the status of the talks that took place in Doha,” the Prime Minister’s Office said Saturday.

“The team expressed to the Prime Minister cautious optimism regarding the possibility of progress on the deal, in accordance with the updated American proposal… including components acceptable to Israel.”

“It is hoped that the heavy pressure on Hamas by the United States and the mediators will remove its opposition to the American proposal and will lead to a breakthrough in the talks.”

A day earlier, the Biden administration released a statement saying that the U.S. delegation, along with Egypt, and Qatar, had drafted a “bridging proposal,” aimed at closing the gap between Israel’s position and that of Hamas.

Blinken is expected to meet with Netanyahu on Monday, as part of the Biden administration’s bid to push the Israeli government to reach a compromise with Hamas.

Netanyahu’s coalition partners, including the Otzma Yehudit party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party, have both vowed to vote against an agreement reached on the basis of the current framework under consideration, which would see Israel withdraw from large swaths of the Gaza Strip and agree to a permanent truce with Hamas.