Middle East: Anthony Blinken ready to travel to the region “in the coming days”

The head of American diplomacy, the Anthony Blinken, will tour the Middle East “the next few days”, he confirmed via Twitter, a few hours after it was posted the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip enters into force, after eleven days of bloody hostilities.

“I will travel to the region in the coming days and look forward to meeting with Foreign Minister (Israel, Gabi Ashkenazi) and other officials, Israeli, Palestinian and (countries) in the region,” Mr Blinken said in a post on his web site. of social network.

The meetings will be aimed at US Secretary of State and his interlocutors “work together to build a better future for Israelis and Palestinians,” the State Department said in a press release.

Mr Blinken spoke with his Israeli counterpart – they already had a meeting with Gabby Ashkenazi earlier yesterday – and “welcomed” the ceasefire agreement, he said.

In their discussion, the two foreign ministers “expressed their gratitude for the efforts and mediation of Egypt”, the role of which was also praised, according to AMPE, by US President Joe Biden during his intervention by the White House.

Earlier in the day, Anthony Blinken said he was prepared to go to the region “if it helps to go beyond violence” and “at the right time” during a visit to Greenland, where he wrapped up an Arctic tour.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas officially launched at 02:00 (local time and Greek time), after eleven days of hostilities, the deadliest since the 2014 war.

The agreement was facilitated by Egypt, a regional force with ties to both Israel and Hamas, the ruling Islamist group in the Gaza Strip, described as a “terrorist” organization by the Jewish state, the US and the EU.

THE Joe Biden described the ceasefire as a “real opportunity” to make progress towards peace in the Middle East.

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