US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is personally travelling to Israel as negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict reach a critical stage. Blinken plans to depart on Saturday to “continue intensive diplomatic efforts” on the ground in Israel, US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel announced in Washington on Friday. “Secretary Blinken will underscore the critical need for all parties in the region to avoid escalation or any other actions that could undermine the ability to finalize an agreement,” the spokesman said. The negotiations were postponed earlier Friday to the coming week…