United States State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed on Thursday during a press conference that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be paying a visit to the Middle East.
Blinken will be visiting Israel, the West Bank, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia from January 4 to January 11, Miller noted. He added that Blinken "believes we need to make progress on getting humanitarian access ... and on minimizing harm to Palestinian civilians [in Gaza]." For these reasons, he is "returning to the region, because he thinks it is important to be there face to face and engage in these diplomatic efforts," Miller said.
Blinken is also expected to hold discussions on the issue of hostages, preventing further escalation of the conflict, deterring Yemen's Houthis' attacks in the Red Sea, as well as talk with Turkish officials about completing Sweden's NATO accession.
