Blinken arrives in Israel, first stop of another Middle East tour

Blinken, on his 11th trip to the region since Oct. 7, 2023, is expected to discuss with top Israeli officials the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as Tel Aviv's potential response to Iran's Oct. 1 missile attack on Israel.

Blinken's Oct. 21-25 tour will "reaffirm U.S. commitment to enduring peace and security in the region," according to a State Department official. He will "discuss ending the war in Gaza, the release of hostages, and the urgent need for humanitarian aid delivery to help civilians in Gaza."

Before leaving, Blinken said on X: "On my way to Israel and other stops in the Middle East for intensive discussions about the importance of ending the war in Gaza, returning the hostages to their families, and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people."

The week-long trip is said to include a stop in Jordan and Doha as well.

Mediation efforts led by the US, Egypt and Qatar have so far yielded no results, but Washington maintains that Israel’s killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last week may lead to a breakthrough in talks. Hamas, however, says the conflict will end when Israel stops its military campaign in the blockaded enclave, which has killed more than 42,600 people since last October.