White House says Secretary Blinkin’s trip to Middle East to focus on lasting ceasefire

The White House said on Monday that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will focus primarily on ensuring that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holds during his visit to the region, as well as the rebuilding of Gaza. Blinken will travel to Jerusalem, Ramallah, Cairo and Amman through Thursday and meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah and other top officials.

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