US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended his ninth visit to the Middle East without a breakthrough for a Gaza ceasefire, yet he warned Tuesday that "time is of the essence" despite ongoing challenges between Hamas and Israel.

Prime Minister Netanyahu described the talks with Blinken as "positive," during which his office again affirmed Israel's commitment to an American proposal for release of hostages again considering Israel's security needs. 

Blinken's visit comes as mediators intensify efforts to finalise a deal. He is scheduled to meet with top Israeli officials on Monday before travelling to Cairo on Tuesday for further discussions.

Blinken congratulated the Indian people ahead of the country's Independence Day: "On this momentous day, we celebrate the rich and diverse history of the Indian people and the bright future of US-Indian relations." India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day on Thursday.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is contemplating a preemptive strike on Iran to thwart the impending assault, as reported by the Times of Israel.

Without directly naming China, the ministers expressed serious concern over the situation in the East and South China Seas and reiterated the Quad's strong opposition to any "unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion."

Jaishankar shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Great to catch up with @SecBlinken in Tokyo today. Our bilateral agenda progresses steadily. Also had a wide-ranging discussion on regional and global issues. Look forward to attending the Quad FMM tomorrow."