Axios-Blinken To PM: US Expects Talks To Move Towards Gaza Ceasefire

Barak Ravid at Axios posts on X regarding the meeting earlier today between Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken: "The source privy to the details said that Blinken made it clear to Netanyahu that the US expects the negotiations to continue moving towards a deal. The source stated that Blinken and Netanyahu discussed some of the issues related to the abductee deal and are currently being discussed by the work teams in Doha and Cairo"

• While the US maintains its strong backing of Israel in military aid provision and rhetoric, within the Democratic party this stance is not universally backed. Indeed, the Democratic National Convention getting underway is set to see large marches take place in support of Palestine.
• Netanyahu's office confirmed earlier today that the heads of the Israeli negotiating team, Mossad's Dedi Barnea, Shin Bet's Ronen Bar and Major Nitzan Alon, will be sent to a subsequent summit in Cairo later this week.
• The PM's office also confirmed that Israel supportsthe US 'bridging proposal' put forward at last week's Doha negotiations. FT: "That plan envisaged a three-phase agreement, with an initial six-week pause in the war during which Hamas would release women, including female soldiers, along with the elderly and wounded held captive in the besieged strip."
• However, Hamas has so far rejected the US' proposal, saying that it must include Israeli acceptance of a permanent ceasefire.