Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel today in an effort to push for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, with plans to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A U.S. official confirmed that Blinken will also visit Jordan on the 23rd.
According to a report by AFP, this marks Blinken’s 11th trip to the Middle East since the outbreak of the Gaza war triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel over a year ago. It is also his first visit since tensions escalated between Israel and Hezbollah, the Shiite militant group in Lebanon, at the end of last month.
Blinken is expected to hold discussions with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, particularly regarding how Israel will respond to Iran’s missile attack on October 1st.
Before arriving in Israel, a U.S. official on Blinken’s flight indicated that he plans to be in the Middle East until the 25th, where he will address ways to bridge differences and work towards achieving a ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza conflict.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, also mentioned that Blinken would discuss preliminary plans for governance in post-conflict Gaza.
Additionally, Blinken intends to talk with Israeli officials about potential military actions against Iran and aims to discourage any moves that could escalate regional conflict. He will also engage with Jordanian officials on providing humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip.
Recently, Israel killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, whom U.S. officials described as having made non-negotiable demands. With just two weeks to go before the presidential election, the Biden administration is hoping to see progress on what seems to be an elusive ceasefire agreement.
