WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit to the Middle East next week in an effort to push proposed plan for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian’s group Hamas, announced by the State Department on Friday.
Blinken, making his eighth visit to the Middle East since the beginning Gaza conflict on October 7, will visit Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar from Monday through Wednesday, the State Department said.
The United States has been pushing for Hamas to agree to a peace plan proposed by President Joe Biden a week ago, aiming to cease hostilities for a minimum of six months and secure the release of hostages seized by the group on October 7.
Blinken “will emphasize the importance of Hamas accepting the proposal on the table, which is nearly identical to one Hamas endorsed last month,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated in a statement.
The US top diplomat will hold extensive discussions regarding the potential benefits of the ceasefire proposal for both Israelis and Palestinians.
He will highlight its potential to alleviate suffering in Gaza, facilitate a significant increase in humanitarian aid, and enable Palestinians to return to their areas.
Blinken is currently in France, where he accompanied President Biden for the 80th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day Allied landings in Normandy.
He is expected to return from Middle East on Wednesday to join the president at the Group of Seven major industrial democracies summit in Italy.
