Blinken starts Middle East tour to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Monday kicked off his new Middle East tour in Cairo. He is believed to be seeking a ceasefire in Gaza eight months into the conflict triggered by the terrorist group Hamas' invasion of Israel killing over a thousand people and taking some 250 others hostage, of whom about 50% have been either rescued or handed back over to their land. It is yet to be known how many of them are still alive. Blinken reportedly plans to broker their release.