Blinken Says Netanyahu Accepted "Bridging" Proposal For Gaza Ceasefire

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv, says that a two-hour meeting today with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "constructive," adding that Netanyahu said he supports the US-backed Gaza bridging proposal and is committed to sending an expert team to Doha or Egypt to complete the Gaza ceasefire process.

• Reuters notes that Blinken said he will be travelling to Egypt and Qatar, with the next round of talks set to get underway on Wednesday.
• Amichai Stein at Kann notes, "Blinken says Israel has accepted U.S.-backed bridging proposal for a cease-fire, calls on Hamas to do the same."
• AP notes that Blinken, "did not say whether the so-called bridging proposal addressed Israel’s demands for control over two strategic corridors inside Gaza, which Hamas has said is a nonstarter, or other issues that have long bedeviled the negotiations."
• Netanyahu said, per Stein: "I greatly appreciate the understanding that the United States has shown to our vital security interests, while in our joint efforts to bring about the release of our hostages. And I would like to emphasize: Efforts are being made to release the maximum number of hostages alive - already at the first stage."