U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will hold talks in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Monday before heading on to Israel after warning that the Gaza war could spread across the region without concerted peace efforts.
Blinken started a five-day Middle East diplomatic effort in Jordan and Qatar on Sunday, seeking to avert a wider war in the region. He is also due to visit the West Bank and Egypt this week.
In a statement to the press, the American diplomat argued that the situation in Gaza comes with profound tension for the region, noting that the conflict could easily metastasize, causing even more insecurity and suffering
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Nethanyahu, said the intensity of the offensive in Gaza signalled his country’s determination to destroy the militant group Hamas.
The Gaza war was triggered by a surprise Hamas attack on Israeli towns on Oct. 7 that Israel says killed some 1,200 people. It says 240 were taken hostage.
