Gaza War: Meeting With Blinken ‘Positive’ – Netanyahu’s Office

• Moves heighten to stop violence amid fears of full-blown war

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s three-hour meeting with the United States (US) Secretary of State, Antony Blinken was “positive and conducted in a good spirit”, according to a statement from his office.

The statement said; “The Prime Minister reiterated Israel’s commitment to the latest American proposal regarding the release of our hostages, taking into account Israel’s security needs, which he insists on firmly”.

This is as Blinken said in Tel Aviv that now is “maybe the last chance” for a Gaza cease-fire deal as he embarks on his ninth urgent mission to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began.

After meeting one-on-one with Prime Minister Netanyahu on Monday. Blinken also spoke to Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant

He is expected to travel to Egypt on Tuesday for meetings in the Mediterranean city of el-Alamein after he wraps up his Israel stop.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army said Monday that one of its soldiers was killed in the country’s north, where cross-border fire with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has soared during the 10-month-old Gaza war.

Also, the Lebanese group, Hezbollah said on Monday that two of its fighters were killed, claiming attacks on northern Israel, including with drones, in the latest cross-border violence amid fears of full-blown war.

The armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility on Monday for a bomb blast near a synagogue in Tel Aviv that Israeli police and the Shin Bet intelligence agency described as a terrorist attack.

Mediators will meet again this week in Cairo to try to cement a ceasefire, even as the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said there have now been 40,139 Palestinians killed and 92,743 injured in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since October 7, 2023 – With Agency reports