Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, is returning to the Middle East for the sixth time since the commencement of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The aim is to catalyse a breakthrough in negotiations for a truce and the liberation of captives held by Hamas. Meetings are on his agenda with leadership in both Saudi Arabia and Egypt to deliberate Egypt and Qatar’s brokered negotiation efforts and strategize enhancing aid provision to strife-torn Gaza.
Despite resuming ceasefire negotiations in Qatar this week, the intensive rounds of talks have failed to generate a mutual agreement between Israel and Hamas, which is what the American administration is hoping for to alleviate Gaza’s prevailing humanitarian crisis. Blinken also intends to carry forward discussions on systems for governance, security, and the reconstruction of a post-conflict Gaza.
Conflict was ignited when Hamas militants invaded Israel on October 7th, resulting in 1,200 fatalities and taking 253 individuals hostage, as per Israeli records. Retaliatory strikes from Israel have led to almost 32,000 confirmed deaths according to Palestinian health authorities in Hamas-controlled Gaza, with thousands more presumed buried under debris.
Blinken’s current visit does not include a stop in Israel, despite numerous visits to the US-allied nation on previous regional trips since the 7th of October. The administration of US President, Joe Biden, and the Israeli government under Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, have encountered heightened tensions. Netanyahu dismissed Biden’s request to cancel a proposed ground invasion in Rafah, a southern Gaza city, currently providing refuge to over a million displaced Palestinians.
In the backdrop of the ongoing conflict, various armed and masked Palestinian factions and clans have initiated the provision of security for aid convoys, as Hamas attempts to maintain its influence in the region, according to Palestinian officials and sources in the militant group. Video footage acquired by Reuters displays a truck convoy entering Gaza City carrying foreign aid, under the watchful eyes of armed men.