Blinken to push for elusive Gaze cease-fire in latest Mideast trip
The top US diplomat’s 11th mission to the Middle East since the Oct. 7 attacks comes as Israel plans retaliatory strikes on Iran, while waging war in both Gaza and Lebanon.
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Israel on Monday as the United States tries to reinvigorate cease-fire negotiations in the Gaza Strip following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and contain the escalating Middle East conflict.
The Biden administration is pushing for Israel to take advantage of what it believes is a short window of opportunity following Sinwar's killing last week to reach a deal with Hamas that would free the 101 hostages held in Gaza, an estimated third of whom are believed to be dead.
“Throughout the region, Secretary Blinken will discuss the importance of bringing the war in Gaza to an end, securing the release of all hostages, and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people,” the State Department said in the trip announcement.
Blinken is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and other senior officials while in Israel. From there, he will travel to several yet-to-be announced Middle Eastern countries to seek consensus on de-escalating tensions in the region ahead of Israel's expected retaliation on Iran for an Oct. 1 ballistic missile attack, as well as on developing a day-after plan for Gaza.
