Antony Blinken ends his last mission in the Middle East after a new Israeli insult to the proposed ceasefire plan in Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken left the Middle East on Thursday with public differences usa And israel This is perhaps the worst level since Israel began its war against Hamas in Gaza in October.

Concluding a visit to four Middle Eastern countries, his fifth visit to the region since the conflict began, Blinken returned to Washington after receiving a virtual slap from the Israeli prime minister. Benjamin Netanyahu said the war would continue until Israel achieves a complete victory. And appeared to clearly reject Hamas’ response to the proposed ceasefire plan.

Relations between Israel and its main international ally, the United States, have been strained for months, but Netanyahu’s public rejection of the plan, which the United States says has merit, could at least scuttle future talks. As a starting point for, division highlights.

However, Blinken and other US officials said They remained optimistic that progress could be made on their main goals of improving humanitarian conditions for Palestinian civilians, securing the release of hostages held by Hamas, preparing Gaza for post-conflict conflict, and preventing the spread of war.

Officials said Blinken’s optimism was based on his first four trips to the Middle East since Oct. 7. Neither of those visits achieved immediately visible success, but they did bring limited but significant improvements in the delivery of humanitarian aid and led to a week-long ceasefire in November that freed dozens of hostages.

“Clearly there are things that Hamas has returned that are absolutely useless,” Blinken said Tuesday of the terrorist group’s response to the ceasefire and hostage release proposal, which was signed last month by Egypt, Qatar, the United States and Israel. Had given support.

“But at the same time, we also see room to continue to seek compromise,” Blinken said Wednesday night. “And these things are always conversations. This isn’t flipping a light switch. It’s not “yes” or “no”. There is always coming and going.”

However, shortly before Blinken spoke, Netanyahu took direct aim at Hamas’s response, calling it “illusive” and Pledged that Israel would continue the fight to achieve “complete victory” over the terrorist group, no matter what.

Adding to Blinken’s dilemma, Netanyahu also came forward Reject concerns from the US and others about the expansion of Israeli military operations in southern GazaParticularly in Rafah, the area on the border with Egypt where more than one million Palestinians have fled.

“In all of my previous visits here and almost every day in between, we have pressed Israel in concrete ways to strengthen civil defense and provide more aid to those in need. And over the past four months, Israel has taken important steps to achieve this,” he said. “And yet… the daily loss of innocent civilians from its military operations remains very high.”

Netanyahu also called for the abolition of UNRWAThe United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees, the main distributor of international aid to Gaza, Because of its alleged hostility toward Israel and allegations that a dozen of its employees took part in the October 7 Hamas attack, an attack that sparked the war.

The United States and other donor countries have suspended new aid to UNRWA pending a UN investigation into the allegations, but Blinken still said the agency’s role is vital in getting humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Which is desperately needed.

Blinken called on Netanyahu and other Israelis still reeling from the Hamas attack not to direct their continued response toward revenge.

“On October 7 Israelis were dehumanized in the most horrific way”Said. “And the hostages are being treated inhumanely every day since then. But this cannot be a license to dehumanize others.

Blinken arrived in Israel hours after receiving Hamas’ counterproposal to the ceasefire framework agreement presented late last month. That proposal includes a three-phase plan to de-escalate the conflict.

In Qatar on Tuesday, both Qatar’s prime minister and Blinken said the proposal showed promise as a starting point for future negotiations.

And Blinken spoke of Saudi Arabia’s interest in normalizing relations with Israel, provided the Gaza war ends and Palestinians are given a clear, credible and timely path to an independent state.

“We remain committed to pursuing a diplomatic path toward just and lasting peace and security for all in the region and for Israel in particular,” Blinken said in Tel Aviv.

However, Netanyahu has opposed the creation of a Palestinian state and has said that Israel will maintain indefinite security control over Gaza.

(With information from AP)