Jerusalem | US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended his ninth visit to the Middle East since the war in Gaza began without securing a ceasefire deal, warning on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) that “time is of the essence” even as Hamas and Israel signalled that challenges remain.

After meetings in fellow mediating countries Egypt and Qatar, Mr Blinken said because Israel had accepted a proposal to bridge gaps with the militant group, the focus turns to doing everything possible to “get Hamas on board” and ensure both sides agree to key details on implementation.

AP