U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has started his eleventh visit to the Middle East since the conflict in Gaza began. He arrived in Israel on Monday night (October 21) to talk with Israeli officials about a possible ceasefire and the release of captives.
This visit is important because there are less than three weeks until the U.S. presidential elections. The State Department says Blinken will focus on stopping the violence in Gaza, planning for the region after the war, and finding a diplomatic solution to the fighting between Israel and Hamas. Vedant Patel, deputy spokesperson for the State Department, said, “The Secretary will speak to regional leaders about the urgent need to stop the fighting in Gaza and help those affected by the conflict.”
Despite these efforts, Hamas warns that any talks will not work because of U.S. support for Israel’s military actions. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said, “With the U.S. giving arms to Israel and asking for dialogue, we cannot trust Antony Blinken’s mission. As long as the U.S. backs Israel, its mediation attempts are not acceptable.”
Blinken’s visit comes as Israel increases its military actions in northern Gaza. The Palestinian health ministry reports that Israeli forces have set fire to the Indonesia Hospital in the area, contributing to over 42,603 deaths and nearly 99,795 injuries since the conflict started.
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