Israel-Gaza live updates: Sirens sound in Tel Aviv as Hamas fires rocket from Gaza

"Whoever harms us -- we will harm them," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

ByKevin Shalvey, David Brennan, Julia Reinstein, Nadine El-Bawab, and Ivan Pereira
Last Updated: August 25, 2024, 5:00 PM EDT

As the Israel-Hamas war continues, cease-fire discussions are occurring in the Middle East, with officials hoping to bring an end to the conflict.

The United States and its allies continue to plead for a cease-fire deal, with discussions set for this week.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Aug 18, 2024, 1:12 PM EDT

Blinken arrives in Israel ahead of new round of cease-fire talks

Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Sunday evening local time ahead of cease-fire talks that are scheduled to resume in Egypt this week.

Following discussions in Doha, Qatar, last week, senior officials are due to meet again this week in Egypt. Israel has said it will send a team to Cairo to continue talks, but Hamas has dismissed any hint of progress as an "illusion."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Tel Aviv, Aug. 18, 2024.
Kevin Mohatt/AP

While in Israel, Blinken is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials to press for a cease-fire agreement. Netanyahu has expressed "cautious optimism" about the talks, but said Sunday that "there are things we can't be flexible about."

-ABC News' Joe Simonetti