DOHA — United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended his ninth visit to the Middle East since the war in the Gaza Strip began without securing any major breakthrough for a ceasefire deal, warning on Tuesday that 'time is of the essence' even as Hamas and Israel signaled that challenges remain.

After meetings in fellow mediating countries Egypt and Qatar, Blinken said that because Israel had accepted a proposal to bridge gaps with the Palestinian militant group, the focus turned to doing everything possible to 'get Hamas on board' and ensure both sides agree to key details on implementation.