US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to visit to "Israel" on Sunday as mediators seek to establish a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. 

Blinken's Sunday visit is the ninth since the Israeli occupation launched its relentless genocide in Gaza in October, and will include meetings with Israeli officials before resuming mediated talks in Cairo. 

Egyptian, Qatari, and US mediators said the recent round of negotiations was making headway, with US President Joe Biden claiming "we are closer [ to a deal] than we have ever been".

Hamas political bureau member Sami Abu Zahri, on the other hand, warned of the mediators' confidence and optimism, affirming that signs of progress were but an "illusion", AFP reported.  

"We are not facing a deal or real negotiations, but rather the imposing of American diktats," he said.

Netanyahu continues to obstrcut ceasefire deal

Over the past 10 months, negotiations failed to finalize or establish a ceasefire, noteably due to Israeli indolence and obstruction. 

However, given that the first case of polio has been recorded in Gaza amid an impending outbreak and worsening health and humanitarian crises, as well as the Israeli assassination of martyred Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the need for a ceasefire continues solidifying. 

The mediators' latest proposal, which reportedly "bridged gaps" in previous versions, was rejected due to new Israeli demands that contradicted previously agreed on conditions. 

Consequently, Israeli PM Netanyahu has been consistently accused of obstructing a deal in an attempt to cling to political power. 

"We have a prime minister that is not so much willing to release the hostages, to finish the war, because he has he own interests," Yossi, a 53-year-old Israeli settler told AFP while protesting and demanding a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal in Tel Aviv. 

Netanyahu insists on resuming battles after ceasefire: Israeli media

A political source confirmed to Israel Hayom that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to insist that "Israel" will be able to resume battles after the implementation of the ceasefire (if one is reached).

The source reported that Netanyahu "continues to insist on receiving formal written approval from the United States for this principle," according to the Israeli website. 

Israeli media reported earlier that Netanyahu was holding political consultations aimed at ensuring that a prisoner exchange deal would not affect the government coalition.

The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation website, Makan, reported that Netanyahu plans to request that Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich refrain from dismantling the government during the Knesset recess if the deal is concluded.

According to the website, they will instead be asked to “wait for the war to resume 42 days after the end of the first phase of the deal, after which they can decide their stance on it.”

The Israeli Prime Minister is further complicating ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip by imposing conditions that call for the resumption of hostilities after the first phase. These stipulations also involve maintaining Israeli forces' control over the southern border at the Philadelphi axis and conducting searches of displaced Palestinians returning from southern areas to their homes in the North.