Live Update From the Liveblog of
Friday, March 22, 2024
Blinken lands in Israel for sixth time since start of Gaza war
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Israel for the sixth time since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas to press for a temporary truce in Gaza.
His visit comes ahead of a key UN Security Council vote on a US draft resolution calling for an “immediate ceasefire.”
The US had hoped to secure a six-week ceasefire and hostage deal by the start of Ramadan on March 10 but successive rounds of talks have yet to bear fruit, with Washington largely blaming Hamas for the standoff.
Blinken arrives in Israel — final stop of his latest Middle East tour. He is set to meet with PM Netanyahu and members of the Israeli war cabinet. pic.twitter.com/9KAVgcfgFL
— Hümeyra Pamuk (@humeyra_pamuk) March 22, 2024