Blinken to visit Israel for sixth time since war with Hamas starts
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (Photo: Getty Images)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is preparing to visit Israel in the coming days. This will be his sixth visit since the start of the conflict between Tel Aviv and Hamas, according to The Times of Israel.
Blinken will be in Israel from February 3 to February 5.
"He was in the country earlier this month for a series of tense meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's wartime leadership.It will be Blinken's sixth visit to the country since the war began in October," the outlet adds.
Israel's war with Hamas
On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants initiated a military attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. In the first few days, radical Islamists killed 1,200 civilians and soldiers and kidnapped about 250 people.
In response, Israel launched a ground military operation in the Gaza Strip against the militants.
On January 22, the IDF announced the beginning of a new major offensive in the western part of Khan Yunis in the southern region. However, as Reuters reports, within a few days, Israel and Hamas reached a preliminary agreement on a one-month ceasefire and a new deal for the release of hostages.
Blinken's visit to Israel
In early January, during his visit to Israel, Blinken expressed concern about the "constant" reports of Israeli strikes hitting humanitarian objects or causing the death of a large number of civilians. At that time, the US and Israel established a negotiating channel to discuss the details of incidents in the Gaza Strip.
