11th trip to the Middle East! Blinken arrives in Israel to promote ceasefire in Gaza

On October 22, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel, aiming to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza, as reported by Agence France-Presse. This marks Blinken’s 11th visit to the Middle East since the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict erupted, and it’s also his first trip to the region since the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah at the end of September.

An official accompanying Blinken mentioned that following his visit to Israel, he plans to travel to Jordan on October 23 to discuss humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip.

Earlier reports indicated that the U.S. State Department announced Blinken’s trip would take place from October 21 to 25, during which he will visit multiple Middle Eastern countries. According to sources cited by the Associated Press, Blinken’s itinerary includes visits to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Israel.