Israel-Gaza: Palestinians dismiss Blinken’s “useless” visit, Israelis plead for deal “at any price”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Tel Aviv on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted a “bridging proposal“ presented by Washington to tackle disagreements blocking a ceasefire deal in Gaza, and urged Hamas to do the same. Blinken spoke to journalists after a day of meetings with Israeli officials, including a meeting with Netanyahu that Blinken described as “very constructive.“ The top U.S. diplomat had said earlier that this push was probably the best and possibly last opportunity for a deal. Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis were pessimistic about the influence of Blinken on the chances of a ceasefire, noting that it was not Blinken’s first time in the region, Palestinian Mahmoud Abu Daoud said his latest visit would “bring no changes,” while Hanan Abu Hamid, a woman displaced from Rafah, described Blinken’s visit as “useless.” In Tel Aviv, family members of Israeli hostages held in Gaza staged a protest outside the hotel where Blinken was holding meetings as part of his trip. Hostage family member Zahiro Shahar Mor said that the Israeli government was “torpedoing its own initiative” for political gain, while Yehuda Cohen pleaded for Blinken to push Netanyahu for a deal “at any price” because he wants his son “back home.” For more info, please go to Subscribe to Global News Channel HERE: Like Global News on Facebook HERE: Follow Global News on X HERE: Follow Global News on Instagram HERE: #GlobalNews #Israel #Gaza