Blinken urges ceasefire, outlines Gaza post-conflict plan and push for Saudi–Israel normalization

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken addressed the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C., laying out U.S. diplomacy aimed at securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a framework for interim governance and security in Gaza, and a push to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Blinken said the United States, Qatar and Egypt put a final ceasefire proposal forward and were “on the brink” of agreement, but that the deal remained pending a final decision by Hamas. “I believe we will get a ceasefire,” he said, adding that implementation would create space to bring hostages home and begin Gaza’s recovery.

The speech explained why the outcome matters: after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and the ensuing fighting, Blinken said the region has undergone “profound changes” that carry long-term consequences for U.S. security and regional stability. He stressed that the United States’ objectives include preventing wider regional war, ensuring the release of hostages and laying a foundation for Palestinian statehood as part of a broader strategy of regional integration.

Blinken described core elements of a U.S.-backed post-conflict plan for Gaza that he said the U.S. would hand off to the incoming…