Israel-Hamas war: Blinken pushes for cease-fire

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says now is maybe the last opportunity to reach a Gaza ceasefire agreement that would return hostages held by Hamas and bring relief to Palestinian suffering after 10 months of war in GazaBlinken on Monday was on his ninth urgent mission to the Middle East since the conflict began His visit came days after mediators including the United States expressed renewed optimism a deal was near But Hamas has voiced deep dissatisfaction with the latest proposal and Israel has said there were areas it was unwilling to compromiseThe trip also comes amid fears the conflict could widen into a deeper regional war following the killings of top militant commanders in Lebanon that Iran blamed on IsraelldquoThis is a decisive moment probably the best maybe the last opportunity to get the hostages home to get a ceasefire and to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and securityrdquo Blinken said as he opened talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel AvivHeres the latest UN says a record number of aid workers were killed in 2023 mostly from the agency for Palestinian refugees Berlin A record number of aid workers were killed in conflicts around the world last year and this year may be on course to be even deadlier the United Nations said MondayThe UNs Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that 280 aid workers were killed in 33 countries in 2023 mdash more than double the previous years figure of 118 It said that more than half of last years deaths were registered in the first three months of the IsraelGaza war that started in October mostly as a result of airstrikesThe office said that this year ldquomay be on track for an even deadlier outcomerdquo with 172 aid workers killed as of Aug 7More than 280 the majority of them with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA have been killed in Gaza so far according to OCHAIsraeli authorities say powerful explosive killed 1 person in Tel Aviv Jerusalem mdash A blast that killed one person and wounded another in Tel Aviv on Sunday night was a terror attack caused by a large explosive device Israeli authorities said MondayA joint statement from the police and Israels Shin Bet security agency gave few details other than saying the attack involved ldquoa powerful explosiverdquo They did not identify the attacker or give a motivePolice said Sunday that the explosion killed one person presumed to be the bomberWe know that the mutilated body is not that of an innocent bystander but the one who carried the bombrdquo Tel Aviv District Police Commander Deputy Commissioner Peretz Amar said The statement on Monday only referenced the bystander who was moderately woundedIsraeli media provided security footage that showed the presumed attacker walking down the street wearing a large backpack just before the explosion1 Palestinian killed and 2 wounded in a shooting on a street in Istanbul Istanbul mdash Police in Istanbul have launched a ldquolargescale investigationrdquo after a Palestinian was killed and two others were wounded in a shooting as they sat in a car officials and media said MondayThe killer dropped a handgun fitted with a silencer at the scene the Istanbul Governors Office said in a brief statementThe Demiroren News Agency reported that the man sitting in the drivers seat was killed and his friend seriously wounded in the shooting late Sunday Another man who the governors office described as the dead mans bodyguard was injured in the footThe killing was carried out by a masked assailant or assailants the agency said The victims were sitting on Dilaver Street in the Kagithane district of north Istanbul when the attack happened It described the seriously wounded victim as a businessmanThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever