Blinken Arrives in Israel for Gaza Ceasefire Talks.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv as part of his Middle Eastern tour aimed at increasing diplomatic pressure to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

During his trip to the region, Blinken will meet on Monday, August 19, with Israeli leadership, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a senior U.S. State Department official said.

The Times of Israel notes that the meeting between Blinken and Netanyahu is expected at 11 a.m. Meetings with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, and President Isaac Herzog are also planned.

After Israel, Blinken will head to Egypt.

A Biden administration official stated that negotiations on a truce agreement and the return of hostages held in Gaza are at a "turning point." He noted that Blinken will emphasize the importance of concluding this agreement for all parties.

"We believe this is a critical moment," the official said.

Mediating countries - Qatar, the United States, and Egypt - have still not reached an agreement after several months of negotiations.

Source: Ukrinform