Efforts for a hostage deal are at their peak: Blinken will arrive in Israel for the eighth time since the outbreak of the war

A war of iron swords: US President Joe Biden is expected to speak with the leaders of Qatar and Egypt as he pushes for an agreement aimed at a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages held by the terrorist organization Hamas.

A political official on the fear of international arrest warrants: "a decision that will ignite a wave of severe anti-Semitism"
The heart is broken: two reserve fighters fell in the battles in the center of the Gaza Strip

The White House press secretary, Karin Jean-Pierre , said that progress has been made in recent days towards a hostage deal and the ball is in Hamas's court to accept the latest Israeli offer.

A member of the Political Bureau of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization Ahsan Attaya told the "Al-Mayadeen" network: "Contrary to the American statements, the proposal that is currently on the table is not generous at all."

"The unity between the Islamic Jihad and Hamas is at the highest levels," he continued. The US is lying and deceiving the world. There are still significant gaps in the current proposal, and there is no change in 90 percent of the clauses, so I rule out the possibility that we will reach an agreement."

In Kirya in Tel Aviv yesterday, under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and with the participation of a number of professional officials, a discussion was held regarding the removal of the Israeli delegation to Cairo, according to a situation assessment. According to estimates in Israel, the Hamas delegation is coming to Cairo to study the proposal and not necessarily to give an answer in a short time.

The Secretary of State of the United States, Anthony Blinken left yesterday for the three-day diplomatic trip in the Middle East, where the focus of his meetings is the deal that will include the return of the abductees and a prolonged ceasefire. The Biden administration – has a clear political interest in this, alongside the multitude of political – regional interests: the ongoing war inflames the anti-Israel protests in the United States, which complicates Biden's presidential campaign.

The main goal of the White House is to secure a ceasefire that will reduce the possibility of Israeli action in Rafah. The consequences of an extensive ground entry into this area where more than a million Gazans are, in the eyes of the White House, would be catastrophic, with the potential for an overall escalation in the entire region.

Therefore, American Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in the Middle East with the aim of promoting the deal that will lead to the release of the hostages and the ceasefire as well as – the effort to bring about the regional settlement, which includes the normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Yesterday in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, Blinken said that Hamas received an "extremely generous" Israeli offer for a deal to release hostages in exchange for a ceasefire. "I hope that Hamas will make the right decision," added the US Secretary of State.

"There are two tracks in which we can move forward at the moment," claimed Blinken. "A path of an endless cycle of violence or a combined path that unites against the common threat from Iran. The best way to defeat Iran and Hamas is if Israel has normalization with every country in the region and the vision of a Palestinian state is realized."

He also added that the US and Saudi Arabia are very close to completing their agreements. "The missing part for normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel is the end of the war in Gaza and a path to a Palestinian state. If we complete the agreements between the US and Saudi Arabia, the theoretical questions will become real and decisions will have to be made by Israel."

This is the mindset that will accompany the Secretary of State even during his short visit to Israel. Blinken is expected to arrive in Israel today, for the eighth time since the beginning of the war. It should be noted that the details of his visit and the final schedule have not yet been agreed upon, but it is known that apart from meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials, the American Secretary of State is expected to visit the port of Ashdod, which is the important hub for the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza, as well as the Kerem Shalom crossing.

These two points of the visit emphasize the importance of the humanitarian issue as one of the issues that will be on the agenda. Blinken is expected to discuss with his Israeli interlocutors the efforts to deal with hostages, regarding which he showed optimism (in contrast to senior officials in Israel who broadcast skepticism regarding the willingness of Hamas to accept the offer).

Also, the issue of normalization with Saudi Arabia will definitely come up during Blinken's talks in Israel, as well as – the option of military action in Rafah and other issues. Except for Saudi Arabia and Israel, during his visit to the region the Secretary of State of the United States is expected to visit Jordan.