Blinken returns to Middle East in high-stakes push for Gaza cease-fire

​​WASHINGTON — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to the Middle East on Monday, stopping first in Egypt and Israel on the heels of a dramatic Israeli rescue operation that freed four hostages but killed scores of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. 

Blinken’s trip to the region — his eighth since Oct. 7 — comes more than a week after President Joe Biden outlined a three-phase proposal to end the war between Israel and Hamas, neither of which have explicitly endorsed the deal. Following his meeting in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose country has been a key mediator in the cease-fire talks, Blinken described the Palestinian militant group as the only obstacle to a deal. 

“My message to governments throughout the region, to people throughout the region, is if you want a cease-fire, press Hamas to say yes," Blinken said before departing for Tel Aviv. 

Blinken traveled to Israel to secure support for the proposed cease-fire during meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Later in the week, Blinken will also visit Jordan to attend a humanitarian conference on Gaza and Qatar, which is helping mediate a potential cease-fire agreement.