Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken is visiting the Middle East as the Israel-Palestinian conflict reaches a degree of violence not seen in many years.
U.S. negotiators say the release of the prisoners is proof that even fierce adversaries can sometimes find their way to an agreement. But the deal almost didn’t happen.
Dozens of top officials have flown to Qatar to cheer for teams while talking shop. The event has magnified the tiny Gulf nation’s role as a diplomatic broker.