US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Israel today to give a boost to negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Blinken will meet on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galland and President Isaac Herzog, according to a State Department spokesman accompanying him on his tour.
On Tuesday, the head of American diplomacy will travel to Egypt where he will hold talks with high-ranking officials.
The negotiations, which broke off Friday night in Doha, are expected to resume this week in Cairo, US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.
Restrained optimism
Israel’s negotiating team appeared “cautiously optimistic” about the possibility of reaching a deal to free the hostages, according to a statement issued tonight by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
“The team expressed cautious optimism to the prime minister about the possibility of reaching an agreement based on the latest US proposal (which is based on the May 27 framework),” the statement said, following the conclusion of the latest round of ceasefire talks in Gaza Strip, yesterday.
The Israeli prime minister’s office added that it hoped pressure on Hamas from the US and international mediators would help lift its objections and make progress.
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