U.S. Secretary of State Blinken lands in Israel

As part of a Middle East visit, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday to express Washington’s support for Israel following strikes by Palestinian terrorists affiliated with the Hamas movement and to try to stop the crisis from worsening.

In addition, Blinken will accelerate discussions with Israelis and Egyptians on ensuring a safe exit for people from Gaza before a potential Israeli ground attack. Hostages taken prisoner by Hamas include some Americans.

After visiting Israel, Blinken will go to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah and Mahmoud Abbas, the chairman of the Palestinian Authority.

In the last 75 years of its fight with the Palestinians, Israel has launched the most intense bombing campaign. In retaliation for the assaults, Israel has vowed to destroy the Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip. This is the beginning of Blinken’s journey.

Israel has placed Gaza under siege to prevent food and gasoline from entering the 2.3 million-person enclave.

Under the condition of anonymity, a senior State Department official told reporters that Washington was seeking to expedite negotiations for the safe movement of people, including Americans, in Gaza.

“There is a population of perhaps 500 to 600 Palestinian Americans who live in Gaza, more or less. The official stated that some chose to go, and we are organizing safe transit.

According to the person, the United States is “intensively” in discussions with the governments of Egypt and Israel to make those arrangements.

Delivering a message of deterrence to Iran and any Iranian-backed parties to stay out of the fight will be another top goal for Blinken.

“We’re very intent on demonstrating through this visit and the onward visits that we’re committed to keeping other parties out of this conflict,” the official added.

Speaking to Jewish community leaders in Washington on Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden suggested that Iran, which supports Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah organization, should take note of the march of American warships and planes closer to Israel.

“We made it clear to the Iranians: Be careful,” Biden stated.