Blinken arrives in Israel to try to promote "more diplomacy" and "prevent a spread of the conflict"

This is the third visit to Israel by the head of US diplomacy since the attacks carried out on October 7 by Hamas.

MADRID, 3 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, arrived in Israel this Friday, marking his third visit to the country since the outbreak of a conflict on October 7 after the attacks carried out by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). , a trip in which he will try to promote "more diplomacy" to contain the fighting, which threatens to expand in the region.

Blinken indicated in a message on his account on the social network X before starting his trip that the displacement takes place "at an incredibly challenging time." "We will continue to work with regional leaders to protect civilians and prevent the spread of conflict. We remain focused on two-state (solution) and comprehensive peace and security for the region," he said.

The US Secretary of State visited Israel on October 12 and, after a diplomatic tour of several countries in the region that took him to Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, he returned to the country four days later to redouble his support for the Israeli Government.

Blinken, who has arrived in Tel Aviv with the new US ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, stated on Thursday that he has among his plans to address with the Israeli authorities "the campaign against the terrorist organization Hamas" and "steps that must be taken to protect civilians" in the Gaza Strip.

However, he did not give details about the "concrete steps" to protect the civilian population and avoided answering whether Israel is showing restraint in the attacks it carries out in its offensive, stating that "it is an exchange of fire provoked by Hamas." , a group that he accused of using civilians "in a cynical and monstrous way" as 'human shields', according to the American television network CNN.

Blinken is scheduled to visit Jordan, after which he will travel to Japan for the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Tokyo. Afterwards, he will continue his tour with stops in South Korea and India, although the agenda could be expanded to include other countries in the Middle East.

Israel launched a military offensive that has included ground operations for days in response to the attacks carried out on October 7 by Hamas, which left nearly 1,400 dead and more than 240 kidnapped, according to reports provided by the Israeli authorities.

Authorities in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip have reported the deaths of more than 9,000 Palestinians in Israeli bombings against the enclave. Added to this figure are more than 130 Palestinians killed in operations by Israeli security forces and attacks by settlers in the West Bank.