Antony Blinken will visit Israel again, will review the situation
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to begin a new trip to the Middle East on Friday. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has entered its fourth week following the October 7 Hamas rocket attacks. American State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Secretary Blinken will travel to Israel on Friday to meet with members of the Israeli government and then make other stops in the region. Israeli media earlier reported the visit, quoting Israeli officials. Days after the surprise attack by Hamas militants, Blinken traveled to Israel to show US support and coordinate on the response.
A marathon session of shuttle diplomacy began in the region, with the US diplomat making more than a dozen stops in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and back to Israel. He accompanied President Joe Biden to a meeting with Israeli government officials and victims during the US leader’s one-day visit to Tel Aviv on October 18. According to Israeli officials, more than 1,400 people were killed in the shocking cross-border attack by Hamas militants, while more than 230 people, including some US citizens, were taken hostage.
Israel’s retaliatory bombardment has killed more than 8,500 people, according to the Gaza health ministry, sparking widespread anger in the region and around the world. The United States is Israel’s biggest supporter, providing it with substantial military aid. Biden has urged Congress to pass additional funding for Israel as well as Ukraine.
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