Blinken back to Middle East to push for Gaza truce

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed Tuesday in Israel in a renewed push for a Gaza ceasefire, days after Israeli forces killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

Blinken, launching his regional tour exactly two weeks before U.S. elections, will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with U.S. officials hopeful for progress but downplaying chances of an immediate breakthrough during his trip.

It will be the 11th trip to the Middle East by the top U.S. diplomat since war broke out a year ago, with Blinken on his last visit to Israel in August warning it may have been the "last chance" for a U.S.-led ceasefire plan.

That push did not succeed, and the conflict has escalated and expanded since then, with Israel pounding Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and warning of a new strike directly on Iran, whose clerical leaders back both Hamas and Hezbollah.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who personally laid out the ceasefire plan on May 31 that would also free hostages from Gaza, has seen new hope since Israel last week killed Sinwar.

Israel's intelligence organization Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar visited Cairo over the weekend to discuss the attempted revival of hostage deal negotiations.

Several media reports said that Israel was planning to use Sinwar's body, which was transferred to a secret location inside Israel after it was autopsied, as "another bargaining chip" in the negotiations.

The Prime Minister's Office declined to confirm the reports, and instead said that Israel "will not end the war until we achieve all of our goals."

Security cabinet also examined "new ideas" for hostage deal after Sinwar killing, according to a statement.

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