U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on Oct. 16 for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, marking his second visit to Israel this week.
Blinken’s visit takes place amid ongoing U.S. efforts to help U.S. citizens in the Gaza Strip reach the only exit from the besieged enclave — the Rafah crossing point leading to Egypt, CNN reported on Oct. 16.
Furthermore, Washington is actively collaborating with regional partners to secure the release of hostages currently held by the Islamist group Hamas. As of now, there are reportedly 199 of them in Gaza.
Blinken initially visited Israel on Oct. 12, marking the first time since the militant incursion. During his visit, he announced the forthcoming opening of the Rafah crossing, but as of Oct. 16, this development had not been officially confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office.
