05/24/2021

Blinken Departs for Mideast to Push Peace Talks After Gaza Truce

The U.S. aims to ensure immediate assistance reaches Gaza

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will head to the Middle East on Monday to press the Israelis, Palestinians and regional players to build on and strengthen last week's Gaza cease-fire, start an immediate flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and lay the groundwork for an eventual resumption in long-stalled peace talks.

President Joe Biden announced he was dispatching Blinken to the region for what will be his administration's highest-level, in-person talks on the crisis that erupted earlier this month. The State Department said Blinken will visit Israel, the West Bank, Jordan and Egypt on a trip that comes as the administration has faced broad criticism for its initial response to the deadly violence.

In a statement, Biden said Blinken will work with regional partners to ensure "the coordinated international effort to ensure immediate assistance reaches Gaza."

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Associated Press.