Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the Middle East on Sunday ahead of a renewed push for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv in Israel on Sunday as he begins a Middle East tour with hopes of intensifying diplomatic pressure for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza this week.
The trip marks Blinken’s 10th time visiting the region since October, when the war between the terrorist organization and Israel began.
The secretary is expected to meet with senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Monday, a senior State Department official said.
After his visit to Israel, Blinken will travel to Egypt to continue his tour.
A senior Biden administration official told reporters on the way to Tel Aviv that talks to strike a deal for a cease-fire and release of hostages held in Gaza were at an « inflection point », adding that Blinken would be stressing to all parties the importance of getting this deal locked in.
