The top U.S. diplomat arrived in Turkey Saturday, the first stop on his multiday visit to the Middle East.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to the region comes amid intense diplomatic efforts to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and increasing international pressure on Israel to reduce civilian casualties among Palestinians.
In Istanbul, Blinken met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss what Turkey and other countries in the region can do to alleviate the tensions and the humanitarian crises connected with the war in Gaza.
U.S. officials said Blinken was also expected to discuss Turkey’s participation in Gaza’s reconstruction efforts.
Blinken’s fourth visit to the Middle East since October 7 comes as Israel’s war with Hamas militants approaches its three-month mark. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and others.
The secretary will visit Greece, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank and Egypt for meetings with foreign counterparts and other officials.
Blinken will discuss immediate measures to increase humanitarian assistance, such as increasing the number of trucks allowed to enter Gaza to deliver food, water, medicine and commercial goods, according to the State Department.
The chief U.S. diplomat will also pursue ongoing efforts to bring home the remaining hostages.
Israel began its military campaign to wipe out Hamas after Hamas fighters crossed into southern Israel on October 7. Israel said about 1,200 people were killed and about 240 captives taken in the terror attack. Gaza health officials say more than 22,000 Palestinians, a large percentage of them women and children, have been confirmed killed in Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
Post-war planning
The United States is also working on a postwar road map for the Palestinian territories and has stated its opposition to forcibly removing Palestinians from Gaza.
“Gaza cannot, once again, serve as a launching pad for terrorist attacks against Israel,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told VOA on Wednesday. “What we ultimately want to see is Gaza and the West Bank reunited under Palestinian leadership,” and “certainly there’s no role for Hamas in that.”
On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant outlined the country’s plans for the next stage of its operations in Gaza. The new approach involves a more targeted strategy in northern Gaza and a continued pursuit of Hamas leaders in the south.
Gallant said in a statement that after the war, Gaza would no longer be under Hamas control. While Israel will retain operational freedom, he said, there won’t be any Israeli civilians present in Gaza.
Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to U.S. President Joe Biden, will also travel to Israel to work toward calming tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
Regional stability
The State Department said the United States remains “incredibly concerned” about the risk of the conflict spreading into other fronts, after the killing Tuesday of senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut.
A drone strike in Beirut killed al-Arouri, who was closely associated with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.
The Israeli army said it was on high alert for attacks by the Lebanese militant group.
In a televised speech, Nasrallah said there would be a “response and punishment,” but he did not clearly declare that his forces would escalate attacks against Israel.
The U.S. has sent a “very direct message to Hezbollah” and other entities in the region that “now is not the time to think of escalating further,” according to the State Department.
“You’ve seen us take deterrence steps to deliver that message. You’ve seen us take diplomatic steps to deliver it. We’ll continue to deliver it,” Miller told reporters during a briefing Wednesday.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has voiced deep concern over the potential for escalation, while urging all parties to exercise restraint.
Earlier this week, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the strike that killed al-Arouri, calling it a crime deliberately aimed at dragging Lebanon into a new phase of confrontations.
Hamas and Hezbollah are backed by Iran, whose militant allies in Syria, Iraq and Yemen have also been carrying out longer-range attacks against Israel.
Humanitarian aid
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, has warned that Gaza is becoming a public health disaster and that the recent mass displacement across southern Gaza is fueling disease outbreaks.
About 400,000 cases of infectious diseases have been reported since October 7, with about 180,000 people suffering from upper respiratory infections. More than 136,000 cases of diarrhea have been reported, half among children younger than 5, according to OCHA.
“Humanitarian workers need safe, sustained and unhindered access now to deliver urgently needed lifesaving assistance,” OCHA said.
Hostage release
Meanwhile, intense diplomatic efforts to retrieve the remaining hostages held in Gaza by Hamas continue. Hamas and other militants are believed to be holding 129 people.
Last week, Egypt proposed a plan to end the military conflict involving a cease-fire, a phased hostage release and the formation of a Palestinian government of experts to administer Gaza and the West Bank.
Details of the plan were reportedly worked out with the Persian Gulf nation of Qatar and presented to Israel, Hamas, the United States and European governments. But the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, stated Tuesday that the hostages will be released only on Hamas’ terms.
State Department Correspondent Nike Ching contributed to this report. Some material came from Reuters and The Associated Press.