WASHIGTON DC — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the
Middle East "in the coming days," the State Department said Thursday
after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire halting 11 days of fighting.
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Blinken spoke with his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi, who
"welcomed Secretary Blinken's planned travel to the region," State
Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
The top US diplomat "will meet with Israeli, Palestinian, and
regional counterparts in the coming days to discuss recovery efforts
and working together to build better futures for Israelis and
Palestinians," Price said.
The announcement came after Blinken spoke twice Thursday with Ashkenazi
ahead of implementation of the ceasefire, which was brokered by Egypt and
followed mounting international pressure to stem the bloodshed.
"Both leaders expressed their appreciation for Egypt's mediation
efforts, and the secretary noted that he would continue to remain in close
touch with his Egyptian counterpart and other regional stakeholders,"
Price said.
Blinken was headed home Thursday following an Arctic tour overshadowed by
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Working from hotel rooms and the airplane in the scramble for a ceasefire,
he spoke to leaders on both sides, as well as from Arab nations with influence
over Hamas.
The secretary "welcomed the (Israeli) foreign minister's confirmation
that the parties had agreed to a ceasefire," Price said.
Earlier in the day Blinken announced that he was prepared to go to the
Middle East "at any time."
US President Joe Biden welcomed the ceasefire as a "genuine
opportunity" for peace in a speech from the White House.
"I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I'm
committed to working toward it," Biden said.
The Israeli army said Hamas fired more than 4,300 rockets towards Israel,
which have claimed 12 lives, including two children.
Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children,
and have wounded another 1,900, according to the Gaza health ministry.
The truce also included the Gaza Strip's second-most powerful armed group,
Islamic Jihad.
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