(VOVWORLD) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to the Middle East this week to seek a solution to Israel's three-month long conflict with Hamas. This is the US Secretary of State's fourth trip to the area since the conflict broke out in early October last year.
 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel on October 12, 2023. (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
Blinken will underscore the importance of protecting civilian lives in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, securing the release of all remaining hostages, and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, according to a State Department press release.
He will also discuss mechanisms to stem violence, calm rhetoric, and reduce regional tensions, including deterring Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and avoiding escalation in Lebanon.
The Palestinian Health Authority in the Gaza Strip said Thursday that total casualties since the conflict broke out have exceeded 80,000, including 22,500 deaths, mostly of civilians. The Israel Defense Forces say they have destroyed more than 8,500 Hamas fighters since the beginning of the conflict.