Blinken Wraps Mideast Visit Without Cease-Fire, Warns Time Running Out

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his ninth visit to the Middle East since the onset of the Gaza conflict, leaving without securing a significant breakthrough for a ceasefire, though he stressed the urgency of the situation. Despite ongoing efforts, both Hamas and Israel signaled that challenges remain.

After meeting with officials in Egypt and Qatar on Tuesday, Blinken noted that Israel had accepted a proposal aimed at bridging differences with Hamas. He emphasized the need to now focus on bringing Hamas on board and ensuring agreement on the implementation of key details.

“Our message is simple, clear, and urgent,” Blinken told reporters before departing Qatar. “We need to finalize a ceasefire and hostage agreement, and we need to do it now. Time is critical.”

The situation has become more pressing following the recent targeted killings of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders in Iran and Lebanon, which Israel is believed to have carried out. These events have sparked concerns about a broader regional conflict.

Details of the so-called bridging proposal, developed by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, have been limited. Blinken mentioned that the proposal outlines clear schedules and locations for Israeli military withdrawals from Gaza.

Earlier on Tuesday, Hamas criticized the latest proposal, accusing the U.S. of conceding to new Israeli demands, a stance that marks a reversal from previous agreements. The U.S. has not yet responded to these accusations.

Blinken’s remarks at the end of his mission lacked the optimism that U.S. officials had expressed earlier in the process. Jonathan Panikoff, director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council, suggested that projecting optimism is essential to maintain momentum in such negotiations.

Panikoff also noted that the key to any resolution lies with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, both of whom have been skeptical about achieving peace from the outset.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, met with right-wing groups representing families of fallen soldiers and hostages in Gaza, who oppose a ceasefire deal. These groups reported that Netanyahu assured them Israel would not relinquish control of two strategic corridors in Gaza, which has been a sticking point in the talks. However, Netanyahu’s office did not confirm this account.

A senior U.S. official dismissed claims that Netanyahu had informed Blinken that Israel would never leave the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors as “totally untrue,” emphasizing that such statements are unhelpful in advancing a ceasefire agreement.

Blinken’s meetings in Egypt and Qatar followed his discussions with Netanyahu, with significant gaps still apparent between Israel and Hamas. Both leaders have seen their political positions strengthen domestically, reducing the pressure to quickly reach an agreement.

While the U.S. could potentially leverage arms sales to pressure Israel, Panikoff warned that such a move might only cause Netanyahu to further entrench his position.

During Netanyahu’s meeting with the families, Israel’s military announced the recovery of the bodies of six hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack, a development that brought fresh grief to many Israelis. This has led to renewed calls for a ceasefire to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

New protests emerged on Tuesday, with one protester in Tel Aviv, Adi Israeli, expressing the sentiment that “the longer they’re there, the more body bags we get.”

The Israeli military reported that the six hostages were killed during an overnight operation in southern Gaza. Hamas has claimed that some captives have died in Israeli airstrikes, and released hostages have described harsh conditions, including a lack of food and medication.

The recovery of these bodies represents a setback for Hamas, which aims to exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli withdrawal, and a lasting ceasefire.

The military identified the six hostages as Chaim Perry, 80; Yoram Metzger, 80; Avraham Munder, 79; Alexander Dancyg, 76; Nadav Popplewell, 51; and Yagev Buchshtav, 35.

Kibbutz Nir Oz, where Munder was among about 80 residents captured, stated that he died after enduring “months of physical and mental torture.” Israeli authorities had previously determined that the other five hostages were also deceased.

Hamas is believed to be holding approximately 110 hostages from the October 7 attacks, during which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israeli authorities estimate that about a third of these hostages are now dead. Over 100 hostages were released in a previous ceasefire exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. The conflict has caused widespread destruction and displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, often forcing them to flee multiple times. Aid organizations fear the outbreak of diseases like polio due to the dire conditions.

An Israeli airstrike on Tuesday killed at least 12 people at a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City. The Palestinian Civil Defense, operating under Hamas, reported that around 700 people had been sheltering at the Mustafa Hafez school. The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted Hamas militants who had established a command center there.

“We don’t know where to go … or where to shelter our children,” said Um Khalil Abu Agwa, a displaced woman.

In another Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah, seven people, including a woman and two children, were killed while walking down the street, according to an Associated Press journalist on the scene. A separate strike in central Gaza killed five children and their mother, as reported by Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.

Palestinians displaced by recent Israeli evacuation orders are now crowding into already overwhelmed areas. In Deir al-Balah, a child was seen sleeping on cardboard, surrounded by insects.

“Are they going to dig the ground and dump us there, or put us on a boat and throw us in the sea? I don’t know,” said one man, Abu Shady Afana.