The Middle East’s bizarre waiting game: ceasefire or Armageddon?

It was hard not to detect a note of desperation from Antony Blinken. The American secretary of state is making his ninth visit to the Middle East since war in Gaza began over ten months ago. The latest round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas is, he insisted, “a decisive moment” that is “probably the best, maybe the last opportunity” for reaching a ceasefire and a release of Israeli hostages. Yet no agreement has been struck yet. Amid his visit Iran issued another threat of a direct attack on Israel, which “must await calculated and precise strikes”. But the clerical regime appears uncertain of its timetable, too.

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