Blinken in Mideast seeking Israel-Hamas ceasefire

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Saudi Arabia, the first stop of his latest Mideast effort to secure a cease-fire in the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza, and he said he would meet with officials in Israel on Friday.In Israel, Blinken will "discuss the need to ensure the defeat of Hamas, including in Rafah, in a way that protects the civilian population, does not hinder the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and advances Israel's overall security," according to a statement from the U.S. State Department.

In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Blinken met with  Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. Blinken and his Saudi counterpart "discussed the urgent need to protect all civilians in Gaza and immediately increase humanitarian assistance to those in need," the State Department said.

The Saudis announced a $40 million donation to the U.N. Agency for Palestinian Refugees to support its "humanitarian relief efforts in the Gaza Strip."

Blinken is also stopping in Egypt on his latest foray — so far unsuccessful — to end the Israel-Hamas conflict, now in its sixth month. The State Department said Blinken would brief Israeli officials on his talks with Arab leaders.

Blinken is also stopping in Egypt on his latest foray — so far unsuccessful — to end the Israel-Hamas conflict, now in its sixth month. The State Department said Blinken would brief Israeli officials on his talks with Arab leaders.

In Egypt, he will meet with his counterparts from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan as well as officials from the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Liberation Organization.

Aside from the number of people killed in the war — 1,200 in the shock October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and nearly 32,000 in Israel's subsequent counteroffensive in Gaza — the delivery of humanitarian aid into the war zone to help famished Palestinians has become one of the most contentious points of conflict between the Jewish state and its Western allies.

Britain on Wednesday announced a new delivery of food aid into Gaza, while U.S. officials pushed for an increase in humanitarian assistance and a new cease-fire ahead of Blinken's visit and planned talks with Israeli officials in Washington next week.

Britain's Foreign Ministry said 2,000 tons of food crossed into Gaza with the help of Jordan and was being distributed by the World Food Program.

"It's crucial that we keep the flow of aid moving into Gaza to end the suffering, and that's why this latest delivery of aid by WFP is so vitally important," British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said in a statement.

As the fighting goes on, U.S. officials have repeatedly expressed concern about Israel's plan to carry out an offensive in Rafah, a city along the Gaza-Egypt border, where more than 1 million Palestinians are sheltering.

That concern, echoed by U.N. officials, is focused on a potential humanitarian catastrophe, with Rafah being a main entry point for what little aid is making it into the Gaza Strip and there being no explicit plan for a safe place for Palestinian civilians to go to find safety from any impending Israeli military operation.

The U.S. Defense Department announced late Tuesday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will host Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant next week for talks at the Pentagon about plans to ensure the safety of the people in Rafah. Other topics on the agenda include efforts to secure the release of the remaining 100 or so hostages held by U.S.-designated terror group Hamas and the need for more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israeli lawmakers Tuesday that he made it clear in a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden that Israel is "determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there's no way to do that except by going in on the ground."

He made the same point to Republican U.S. senators on Wednesday via video. The Israeli prime minister offered to speak separately to Democrats, but Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer declined, a spokesperson said, because the conversations should not be partisan.

Separately, senior White House officials are set to host senior Israeli military, intelligence and humanitarian officials for meetings in Washington. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said those meetings are expected to take place early next week.

Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday that the United States was working on achieving a deal for a temporary six-week cease-fire and release of about 40 of the hostages in exchange for dozens of Palestinians jailed by Israel. She said Israel needs to do more to provide "unimpeded access" for humanitarian aid to enter northern and southern Gaza.

Much of Gaza's infrastructure and homes have been leveled as Israel pursued its campaign to eliminate any Hamas control in Gaza.

Blinken on Tuesday described what he called the "horrific humanitarian situation" in Gaza, citing United Nations reports that the entire population needs humanitarian aid.

"According to the most respected measure of these things, 100% of the population of Gaza is at severe level of acute food insecurity," Blinken said. "That's the first time an entire population has been so classified."

Qatari officials said they are "cautiously optimistic" that Israel and Hamas can reach a new cease-fire and agree to the release of more hostages, a Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

Majed al-Ansari offered the favorable assessment after talks in Doha that included Israeli intelligence chief David Barnea. But Ansari said it was "too early to announce any successes."