US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has concluded his tour of the Middle East with limited success in securing a sustained humanitarian pause and greater restraint in Israel's assault on Gaza, according to a report by The Guardian. Blinken acknowledged that these efforts were still a "work in progress" during his visit to Ankara, where he met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Following this, Blinken is set to attend a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in Japan to discuss the US approach to the crisis and its implications for Western standing.

Despite four days of talks that began in Jerusalem, diplomatic progress appears to have stalled. Blinken was unable to convince Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to adopt a humanitarian pause, while negotiations on hostages were hampered by disagreements over the length and sequencing of the required hostilities pause for their release.

Adding to the challenges, Israel imposed another temporary communication blackout in Gaza on Sunday night, disregarding US requests not to do so. This move further complicates the situation, which has already been marred by a decrease in the number of aid trucks entering Gaza through the Rafah border crossing - from 100 on Friday to roughly 30 in subsequent days.

The US has accused Hamas, the Islamist group governing Gaza, of violating the agreement on injured civilians crossing into Egypt. The US claims that Hamas is prioritizing its injured fighters, reserving a third of the slots for their medical evacuation.

Blinken attempted to strike an optimistic yet cautious note, acknowledging the concern for civilian casualties and expressing a commitment to minimize them. He emphasized ongoing efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza and suggested that assistance will be expanded in significant ways in the days ahead.

While Blinken claims to have achieved a regional consensus to prevent further escalation, these claims were undermined by renewed heavy exchanges of fire along the southern Lebanese border between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia group.

Diplomats from various Middle Eastern countries, usually allied with the US, believe that Blinken has the leverage to restrain Israeli attacks in Gaza by calling for a permanent ceasefire or withholding US funding. Some argue that the US refrains from taking such actions because it either believes that the military removal of Hamas is attainable at an acceptable cost or because the Biden administration prioritizes public unity with Israel over saving civilian lives in Gaza.

Blinken's unproductive talks in Ankara marked the end of his tour, which also included visits to Jerusalem, Amman, Ramallah, and Baghdad. Turkey's withdrawal of its ambassador from Israel on Saturday elicited praise from the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that Netanyahu is no longer someone they can engage with, citing repeated attacks on the Turkish-built cancer hospital in Gaza.

As the crisis unfolds, concerns arise about the diminishing diplomatic standing of the US and the emerging signs of cooperation between Iran and Arab states. Tehran announced that Saudi Arabia and Iran will jointly convene an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation conference in Riyadh in the near future. Iran has escalated its diplomatic efforts, with President Ebrahim Raisi advocating for increased support for the Palestinian cause during a conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The US has been urging Israel to provide clearer justification for its actions. Netanyahu met numerous envoys in Tel Aviv, assuring them that once Hamas is defeated, the people of Gaza will be offered a future of promise and hope. He depicted the conflict as one between barbarism and civilization that requires everyone's engagement.

In Baghdad, Blinken issued a warning against attacks by Iranian-affiliated militias, stating that they are "unacceptable," and emphasizing that measures will be taken to protect US citizens. Additionally, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, visited Tehran, possibly to convey a detailed version of this message and express a desire for constraint on Iranian-backed militias.