Antony Blinken

Hamas Relays 'Positive' Response in Hostage Talks

Qatar announced on Tuesday that Hamas has issued a "positive" response to a proposal aimed at releasing hostages in exchange for temporarily halting the Gaza conflict, but Israel slammed the proposal for including unacceptable conditions set by Hamas. Qatar said Tuesday that Hamas has delivered a "positive" response to a proposal to free hostages ...

Blinken in Egypt, Israel Kills Hundred in Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Egypt on Tuesday as part of his latest Middle East crisis tour, seeking a new ceasefire and "an enduring end" to the Israel-Hamas war. Heavy strikes and fighting in Gaza killed at least 107 people in the past 24 hours, said the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory that has been under almost ...

Blinken Seeks Truce as Gaza Assault Persists

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken kicked off a tour of the Middle East on Monday, aiming to secure a new truce and lasting resolution to the Israel-Hamas conflict amidst ongoing fighting in Gaza. As humanitarian conditions worsen in the strip, UNRWA faces controversy over allegations involving Hamas. Blinken is set to discuss a framework not ...

Blinken in Middle East to Secure New Truce

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday as part of his ongoing tour of the Middle East, aiming to negotiate a new ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict amidst continued fighting in Gaza. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for another Middle East crisis tour, hoping to secure a ...

Hamas Weighs Gaza Truce in the Nearly Four-Month War

Israeli airstrikes throughout Gaza claimed numerous lives overnight, while clashes continued on Sunday in the southern region of the besieged territory. Hamas was considering a proposal to cease the nearly four-month-long conflict. Israeli strikes across Gaza killed scores overnight, and battles raged Sunday in the besieged territory's south as ...

Blinken on Fresh Mideast Tour 'In Coming Days'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to return to the Middle East, in a fresh attempt at easing Middle East tensions, according to a US official. This comes as negotiations gain momentum regarding a proposal to halt Israel's offensive and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return shortly ...

US-Israel Relations Under Strain Over Gaza

Despite an apparent alliance, Washington and Tel Aviv are increasingly struggling to conceal their differences in public. While the Biden administration insists on de-escalating tensions on a regional level, the Netanyahu government prefers to forge ahead. President Joe Biden and his officials are becoming increasingly frustrated with Israeli ...

In Davos, Mikati Calls for Putting Pressure on Israel

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati held a series of political meetings on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, all focusing on the explosive situation in South Lebanon. These included meetings with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Foreign Ministers of Iran, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Spain's José Manuel Albares ...

Blinken: Palestinian Authority Needs Israeli Support, Not Opposition

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel to support the Palestinian Authority instead of obstructing it. Speaking on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel to help rather than hinder the Palestinian Authority, saying that Israel's long-term security was at ...

US Lauds Taiwan Elections as China Opposes 'Independence'

China has warned Taiwan against any inclination towards independence following the election of pro-independence candidate Lai Ching-te on Saturday, January 13. However, both the European Union and the United States have congratulated the new president. The United States on Saturday congratulated Taiwan's president-elect Lai Ching-te, but ...

Arab-Israeli Rapprochement Would Isolate Iran, Says Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted that a closer relationship between Israel and the Arab states would bring about lasting isolation of Iran, during his visit to Cairo on Thursday January 11. Mr Blinken was speaking at the end of a tour of the Middle East aimed at calming tensions between Israel and Iran's allies. Closer ties between ...

Israel Bombs Southern Gaza as Blinken Heads to Egypt

Israel bombarded the southern Gaza Strip overnight, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepared to travel to Egypt on Thursday for more talks aimed at containing Israel's war against Hamas. The diplomat was set to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi in Cairo, a day after talks with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, who ...