U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will arrive in Israel on Saturday to pursue diplomatic negotiations to secure a truce and hostage deal in Gaza, the State Department announced Friday.
The visit follows senior negotiations in Doha, where the United States, Qatar, and Egypt issued a “bridging proposal” to address the remaining disagreements between Hamas and Israel.
The proposal seeks to “achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, secure the release of all hostages, ensure humanitarian assistance is distributed throughout Gaza, and create the conditions for broader regional stability.”
Blinken’s visit emphasizes the need “to avoid escalation or any other actions that could undermine the ability to finalize an agreement.”
During his stay in Israel, the top U.S. official is also expected to meet with key government officials.
The visit comes in the context of a broader U.S. diplomatic effort, including visits by CIA Director Bill Burns and National Security Council official Brett McGurk, to avert possible retaliation by Iran or its allies, following the assassinations of both Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr.