Deal to free Gaza hostages, establish ceasefire close: US

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on July 19 that an agreement to free hostages in the Gaza Strip and establish a ceasefire was close, as administration officials prepared for what they expected to be a tense visit to Washington next week by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Mr Blinken, speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, said the talks were "inside the 10-yard line", using an American football term.

Hours later, at the same conference, Mr Sullivan said there was no expectation that an agreement would be reached before Mr Netanyahu addressed a joint session of the US Congress on July 24. He said President Joe Biden would "focus his energy" in his meetings with Mr Netanyahu "to get this deal done in the coming weeks".