U.S. Secretary of State to extend Middle East tour amid Israel-Gaza conflict
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will extend his Middle East tour and return to Israel on Monday, a senior State Department official announced, as Israel prepares for a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, as reported by Reuters and Agerpres.
The American diplomat arrived in Israel on Thursday and has since visited six Arab countries. He is currently in Egypt and is expected to meet with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Before departing for Cairo, Blinken held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, one of the region's most powerful leaders, a meeting that the senior American diplomat described as "very productive."
In the meeting, the Saudi crown prince stressed the need to find ways to stop the conflict and respect international law, including lifting the Israeli blockade on Gaza, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
"The secretary of state underscored the United States' unwavering focus on stopping Hamas terrorist attacks, securing the release of all hostages, and preventing the conflict from escalating," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Blinken also met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Saturday in Riyadh. Ahead of their meeting, the American official said that protecting civilians on both sides of the conflict is vital.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
