Blinken to Netanyahu: Israel must 'avoid further expansion' of conflict
Secretary Antony J. Blinken speaks to families and supporters of the hostages held by Hamas outside a hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (Official State Department photo by Chuck Kennedy)
(JNS) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli leaders on Wednesday as part of his Middle East tour to Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, his seventh trip to the Jewish state since the current Hamas war broke out on Oct. 7.
Blinken met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, where they “discussed ongoing efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as part of a hostage deal and emphasized that it is Hamas that is standing in the way of a ceasefire,” according to an official statement from the U.S. State Department.
“Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel’s security,” the statement continued. “He also discussed the need to avoid further expansion of the conflict and updated the prime minister on ongoing efforts to ensure a lasting, sustainable peace in the region.”
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