Middle East peace mission falters as Gaza ceasefire talks stall

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a brief yet intense visit to the Middle East to push for a Gaza ceasefire, but left the region on Tuesday without securing an agreement between Israel and Hamas. Blinken, along with mediators from Egypt and Qatar, had placed their hopes on a US "bridging proposal" designed to narrow the gaps between the two sides in the ongoing 10-month conflict.

Despite last week's stalled negotiations, Blinken expressed the urgent need for a resolution, stating that the deal "needs to get done in the days ahead" and that all efforts would be made to finalise it.

During his visit, Blinken held talks with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and later travelled to Qatar. He also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accepted the US proposal, urging Hamas to follow suit. However, Hamas has not outright rejected the proposal but argued that it overturns previously agreed terms.

One contentious issue within the ceasefire discussions is the presence of Israeli troops in the Philadelphi Corridor, a buffer zone between Egypt and Gaza. While Israel insists on maintaining a military presence there to prevent weapons smuggling, both Hamas and Egypt oppose this.

Blinken confirmed that the US does not support any long-term occupation of Gaza by Israel and stated that the agreement includes a clear schedule for Israeli troop withdrawals.

Egyptian security sources suggested that the US has proposed an international presence in the Philadelphi Corridor for up to six months, a proposal that could be acceptable to Cairo. Sisi emphasised that the ceasefire should lead to broader international recognition of a Palestinian state and the implementation of a two-state solution, which he described as essential for regional stability.

The stakes in these negotiations are high, with the fate of Gaza and the remaining hostages held there hanging in the balance. The war, which began on 7th October when Hamas launched attacks on Israeli communities, has resulted in over 40,000 deaths in Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities. Blinken described the current push for a ceasefire as "probably the best, possibly the last opportunity."

Despite Blinken's efforts, Hamas has accused him of dishonesty, which it claims has hindered the possibility of reaching an agreement. Qatar, a key mediator alongside Egypt and the US, reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating a ceasefire and a potential hostage-prisoner swap.

Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza remains dire, with ongoing Israeli military operations. On Tuesday, Israel's military reported recovering the bodies of six hostages from southern Gaza, bringing the number of hostages still held in the territory to 109, some of whom are believed to be dead. The conflict continues, with Israeli strikes targeting Hamas militants embedded in civilian areas, including a school where displaced people were sheltering. In Gaza, Israeli forces battled Hamas in central and southern areas on Tuesday, and Palestinian health authorities said at least 39 people had been killed in Israeli strikes.