WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended his ninth visit to the Middle East since the war in Gaza began without securing any major breakthrough for a cease-fire deal, warning on Tuesday that “time is of the essence” even as Hamas and Israel signaled that challenges remain, reported the AP Wednesday.
After meetings in Egypt and Qatar, Blinken said that as Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge gaps with Hamas, the focus turns to doing everything possible to “get Hamas on board” and ensure both sides agree to key details on implementation.
“We need to get a cease-fire and hostage agreement over the finish line, and we need to do it now. Time is of the essence,” he said.
