U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken waves as he boards an aircraft during his departure from Washington to travel to the Middle East, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. AP
Blinken will travel, in his fourth tour in the region since 7 October, to Istanbul, Crete, Amman, Doha, Abu Dhabi, AlUla, Tel Aviv, the West Bank, and Cairo from 4 to 11 January, according to Matthew Miller, the US Department of State’s spokesperson.
“Throughout his trip, the Secretary will underscore the importance of protecting civilian lives in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza; securing the release of all remaining hostages; our shared commitment to facilitating the increased, sustained delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and the resumption of essential services; and ensuring that Palestinians are not forcibly displaced from Gaza,” Miller said in his statement.
Deterring Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and avoiding escalation in Lebanon are among the main files to be discussed in this tour, according to the statement.
Blinken will reaffirm the US commitment to working with partners to set the conditions necessary for peace in the Middle East, which includes comprehensive, tangible steps toward the realization of a future Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel, with both living in peace and security, the statement added.
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