During a rapid trip to the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to accelerate efforts toward a Gaza ceasefire but left the region on Tuesday without securing an agreement between Israel and Hamas. The ceasefire talks, which have been ongoing for 10 months, have stalled despite a U.S. "bridging proposal" intended to close the gaps between the two sides. Blinken emphasized the urgency of reaching a deal, stating, "It needs to get done in the days ahead, and we will do everything possible to get it across the finish line," during his time in Doha before returning to Washington. A senior Biden administration official accompanying Blinken indicated that negotiations are expected to continue this week.

Blinken's journey included discussions with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Qatari officials. Following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Blinken confirmed Israel's acceptance of the proposal and encouraged Hamas to follow suit. Hamas has not explicitly rejected the proposal but claims it alters previously agreed-upon terms.

In response to questions in Qatar about the potential Israeli military withdrawal and a report suggesting that Netanyahu convinced Blinken of the need to maintain Israeli troops in the Philadelphi Corridor between Egypt and Gaza, Blinken clarified, "The United States does not accept any long-term occupation of Gaza by Israel." He noted that the agreement includes specific timelines and locations for Israeli Defense Forces withdrawals from Gaza, which Israel has agreed to. However, Blinken did not directly address the Axios report.

Both Hamas and Egypt oppose the idea of Israeli troops remaining in the Philadelphi Corridor, but Netanyahu insists it is necessary to prevent weapons smuggling into Gaza. Egyptian security sources mentioned that the U.S. has suggested an international presence in the corridor for a maximum of six months, which Egypt might find acceptable.

President El-Sisi emphasized the need for the ceasefire to lead to broader international recognition of a Palestinian state and the implementation of a two-state solution, viewing it as essential for regional stability.

The stakes in these talks include the future of Gaza, where the Israeli military campaign has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths since October, according to Palestinian health authorities, as well as the fate of the remaining hostages in Gaza. The conflict began on October 7, when Hamas launched an attack on Israeli communities and military bases, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.

Blinken described the current effort as "probably the best, possibly the last opportunity" to reach an agreement and highlighted the constructive nature of his meeting with Netanyahu. However, a senior Hamas official accused Blinken of dishonesty, attributing the failure to reach an agreement to this.

Qatar's foreign minister reiterated the country's commitment to its mediating role in the ceasefire talks and a hostage-prisoner swap, alongside Egypt and the U.S. Both Blinken and Qatari officials stressed that the bridging proposal addressed the remaining issues in a way that could quickly lead to a deal. However, the specific contents of the proposal remain undisclosed.

While Israel insists the conflict can only end with the dismantling of Hamas as a political and military entity, Hamas remains firm that only a permanent ceasefire, not a temporary one, will be accepted. Even if Hamas agrees to the bridging proposal, additional discussions will be needed to finalize its implementation.

On Tuesday, Israel's military reported recovering the bodies of six hostages from southern Gaza. According to Israeli authorities, 109 hostages remain in Gaza, with about a third believed to be deceased. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued their operations in central and southern Gaza, leading to the deaths of at least 39 people in strikes, including on a school sheltering displaced individuals. Israel claimed the strike targeted Hamas militants using the school as cover.