US Secretary of State's schedule in the Middle East

This will be US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's third visit to Israel since Hamas armed forces suddenly attacked Israel on October 7.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has a busy week in Europe and the Middle East. (Source: AFP)

The visit comes as the US seeks to secure the release of more hostages held by the Hamas Islamist movement and reduce the risk of a wider regional war, Bloomberg reported.

The US State Department said Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel and the West Bank, and travel to Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to attend the 28th Summit of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).

The top US diplomat is expected to meet both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The meetings discussed the future of the Gaza Strip as Israel continues to intensify its ground and air attacks, including the need to establish an independent Palestinian state.

According to the statement from the department, Secretary Blinken will “emphasize the need to maintain the increased flow of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, ensure the release of all hostages, and improve the protection of civilians in Gaza.”

The US State Department made the announcement shortly after Mr. Blinken landed in Brussels, Belgium, preparing to attend the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the first NATO-Ukraine Council Foreign Ministers' Meeting. He will then travel to Skopje, North Macedonia, to attend the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Council of Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

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