00:00U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to arrive in Israel on Sunday as Washington
00:06intensifies its diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, aiming to end the ongoing
00:1210-month conflict between Israel and Hamas.
00:15This will be Blinken's tenth visit to the region since the offensive began in October
00:19of last year.
00:20His trip follows the United States putting forward bridging proposals with the support
00:25of mediators Qatar and Egypt, which they believe could close the gaps between the warring
00:30parties.
00:31U.S. officials have expressed fresh optimism about finalizing a ceasefire deal, although
00:36they caution that challenges remain.
00:38A senior Biden administration official noted that the gaps between the parties have been
00:43bridged in a way that makes the deal ready to close, implement, and move forward.
00:47During his visit, Blinken is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
00:53and other senior officials to discuss the situation and the next steps in the ceasefire
00:58process.
00:59The visit underscores the urgency and importance of diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the
01:03violence and restore stability in the region.
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