US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to Egypt on Wednesday but his visit to the region will notably omit a stop in Israel, amid rising doubts that a ceasefire and hostage deal can be agreed to before President Joe Biden leaves office.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Egypt on Tuesday to discuss a Gaza ceasefire and release of hostages with Egyptian officials, the State Department said. Washington and mediators Qatar and Egypt have for months sought to reach a deal between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas to halt the war and release Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

Prominent columnists have resigned from the Jewish Chronicle newspaper over allegations it published fabricated articles about the Israel-Hamas war

Jonathan Freedland, Hadley Freeman and David Aaronovitch announce they are quitting their columns in a row over allegedly fabricated articles.