QATAR: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to key Hamas mediator Qatar as he seeks momentum to end the Gaza conflict following Israel’s killing of the group’s leader.

Blinken said he spoke to Israel’s leaders “about the importance of determining whether Hamas is prepared to engage in moving forward, and the Egyptians, the Qataris are doing just that”.

“But I believe that with Sinwar gone, because he was the primary obstacle for realising the hostage agreement, there is a real opportunity to bring them home and to accomplish the objective,” Blinken told reporters on Wednesday as he left Israel.