The United States State Department announced on Friday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will address the necessity of achieving a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas during his upcoming visit to the Middle East and Europe. Blinken is expected to emphasize the importance of Hamas accepting Israel’s current proposal on a ceasefire “which is nearly identical to one Hamas endorsed last month,” with the proposed deal to “alleviate suffering in Gaza, enable a massive surge in humanitarian assistance,” and “allow Palestinians to return to their neighborhoods.” The secretary will visit France, Italy, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and Israel, where he is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.