FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken gestures, as he and his wife Evan Ryan board a plane at the U.S. Naval Support Activity base, after the G7 foreign ministers summit on Capri island, in Naples, Italy, April 19, 2024. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca/Pool/File Photo
"He will discuss the recent increase in humanitarian assistance being delivered to Gaza and underscore the importance of ensuring that increase is sustained," the State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in statement. Blinken is not scheduled to visit Israel on this trip. War began in Gaza after Hamas fighters crossed into Israel on Oct 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
During his two-day visit, Blinken will participate in a ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, working to advance security coordination in the region, Miller said.