Blinken heads to Mideast for 11th time since Gaza war; prospects for a truce remain uncertain
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to the Middle East again, making his 11th trip to the region since the Gaza war broke out last year and as Israel steps up attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
WASHINGTON — State Secretary Anthony Blinken is heading to the Middle East again, making its eleventh trip to the region since then the Gaza war erupted last year and now Israel is stepping up attacks against it Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The State Department said Blinken will depart on Monday for a weeklong trip to Israel and a number of Arab countries, in a visit that also comes as Israel considers retaliation against Iran for ballistic missile attacks earlier this month.
The trip was expected after President Joe Biden said last week he would send Blinken to the region, following Israel’s lead assassination of Hamas chief Yahya SinwarA move that some say could open the door to new talks on a ceasefire proposal that has been languishing for months.
“Across the region, Secretary Blinken will discuss the importance of ending the war in Gaza, securing the release of all hostages, and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people. He will continue discussions on planning for the post-conflict period and emphasize the need to chart a new path forward that enables Palestinians to rebuild their lives and realize their aspirations, free from the tyranny of Hamas,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
He said Blinken would also underscore the need for a dramatic increase in the amount of humanitarian aid reaching Gaza, something Blinken and the defense secretary Lloyd Austin made clear in a letter to Israeli officials last week. The letter reminded Israel that the Biden administration could be forced by US law to curtail certain forms of military assistance if the delivery of humanitarian aid continues to be hampered.
In addition to the conflict in Gaza, Blinken will also emphasize the importance the administration attaches to reaching a diplomatic solution to the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and elsewhere.
“He will reaffirm the U.S. commitment to working with partners across the region to de-escalate tensions and ensure lasting stability,” Miller said in the statement.
Since the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, and the Israeli response, Blinken has traveled to the Middle East ten times in search of an end to the crisis. His previous trips have achieved little in terms of ending hostilities, but he has succeeded in increasing aid deliveries to Gaza in the past.