As negotiations continue toward a cessation of fighting in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken departed from an air base on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., for the Middle East on the 4th to consult with related countries. did.
Secretary of State Blinken is scheduled to visit Israel, the Palestinian West Bank, Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia on the 8th, as negotiations continue toward a cessation of fighting in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held by the Islamic organization Hamas. We are planning to hold discussions with the relevant countries.
However, White House National Security Advisor Sullivan, who is in charge of security policy, said in an interview on ABC TV on the 4th, ``At this point, I cannot say that we are at the point where negotiations will be concluded anytime soon.'' It is unclear whether negotiations will be concluded through the visit to the Middle East.
Secretary Blinken is also expected to discuss retaliatory measures for the attack in Jordan that killed three American soldiers, as well as the activities of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen, and step up efforts to prevent tensions in the Middle East from escalating. is.
Secretary Blinken's visit to the Middle East is his fifth since conflict between Israel and Hamas began last October.