US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is warning that this may be the last chance to secure a peace deal and cease-fire agreement that would return hostages and bring relief to Palestinian suffering after more than 10 months of fighting in Gaza.
This is Blinken's ninth visit to the Middle East since October 7, and just days after mediators, including the US, expressed optimism that a deal was close.
However, Hamas has conveyed their discontent with the latest proposal, and Israel stated there are issues on which it is unwilling to compromise.
"This is a decisive moment, probably the best, maybe the last, opportunity to get the hostages home, to get a cease-fire, and to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security," Blinken said as he began talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv on Monday.
Negotiation efforts have heightened in urgency as promises of revenge from Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah cause greater fear of a war across the Middle East.
It's also time to make sure that no one takes any steps that could derail this process," he stated in a veiled reference to Iran, according to The Associated Press.
In return, Herzog thanked Blinken for the Biden administration's unwavering support for Israel.
"This is the way we are living these days," described Herzog.
"We are surrounded by terrorism from all four corners of the earth, and we are fighting back as a resilient and strong nation," he added.
Blinken is traveling to Cairo on Tuesday to meet with mediators in the hope of finally negotiating a permanent ceasefire.
On Monday, he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu privately for 2½ hours and with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant later in the day.
The three mediators—Egypt, Qatar, and the US—have presented a three-phase process in which Hamas would release all hostages abducted during its Oct. 7 attack, while in return, Israel would withdraw its forces from Gaza and release Palestinian prisoners.
In a cabinet meeting prior to Blinken's arrival in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu announced,
"We are conducting negotiations, not a scenario in which we just give and give."
In a statement on Sunday, Hamas countered that Netanyahu has continued to set obstacles to a deal by demanding new conditions, accusing him of wanting to prolong the war.
"The new proposal responds to Netanyahu's conditions," Hamas said.
Blinken is calling on both sides to take this opportunity to reach a deal.
"It is time for everyone to get to 'yes' and to not look for any excuses to say 'no,'" declared Blinken.
