Blinken is back in the Middle East to press for the conclusion of an Israel-Hamas ceasefire

TEL AVIV – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has begun his ninth diplomatic mission to the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, with hopes for the quick conclusion of a ceasefire agreement hanging in the balance. Before another high-level meeting of ceasefire negotiators in Cairo later this week, Blinken arrived in Israel on Sunday to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and President Issac Herzog on Monday. Blinken will travel to Egypt on Tuesday for meetings with officials there, the State Department said,...