US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to discuss efforts to establish a cease-fire in Gaza and increase assistance delivery to the Palestinian enclave.
According to an AFP writer on board, The top US diplomat arrived in Jeddah to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. This was the first stop on Blinken’s sixth Middle East journey since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7.
The visit comes amid a flurry of phone calls, scheduled travels by US and Israeli officials, and public airings of deep views about the state of the fight and what will happen to Gaza after the battle.
According to the State Department, Blinken’s most recent Mideast tour, which began in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and will end in Egypt on Thursday, will conclude with his visit to Israel. The top US ambassador will arrive in Tel Aviv on Friday, following talks with Arab leaders and foreign ministers in Jeddah and Cairo about the Gaza battle.
Secretary Blinken will meet with Israeli government leaders in Israel to discuss ongoing discussions to ensure the release of all captives, according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
