US Secretary of State Blinken Heads to Middle East to Press for Truce

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken is kicking off another tour to the Middle East on February 5 in an attempt to press for truce in the Israel-Hamas war. This would be Blinken’s fifth trip to the Middle East since the onslaught of fighting between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and the Israeli forces. Blinken, during his tour, plans to hold meetings in Saudi Arabia, Israel, Egypt and Qatar. Ahead of departing Washington, the US Secretary of State said that there was a need for “urgently addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza.”

The United States and the top donors suspended the aid and funding to the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) over Israeli claims that some of its more than 13,000 staff was involved in the October 7 raid. The United Nations secretary general said that he terminated nine of the 12 staff members accused of October 7 rampage, although the United States Secretary blinked admitted that the Biden administration has been unable to investigate the “evidence” to the Israel claims.

Israeli soldiers press their offensive to southern city of Rafah 

Guterres warned that the UN, with its top donors like US, UK, Germany, Italy, and nine others suspending funds to agency, will no longer be able to provide aid to more than two million Palestinians amid the blistering war. This could have devastating consequences for the civilians witnessing dearth of bread or even clean drinking water. Reportedly, the Israeli soldiers are pressing their offensive to the southern city of Rafah on the border with Egypt, which one Palestinian desired as “pressure cooker of despair.”

Blinken is headed to the Middle East in order to discuss a truce that is being thrashed out in Paris with top US, Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari officials. Is understood that the truce aims to halt the grinding battles for an initial six-weeks to get Hamas to free the hostages in exchange for the Palestinian prisoners, agencies quoted Hamas source as saying. Hamas officially announced that no deal was finalised or reached yet whilst the Israelis wanted that they oppose any concessions.