Blinken seeks to contain Israel-Hamas war; meets with Middle East leaders in Jordan
CBSN
Amman - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Jordan on Saturday to meet with key Middle East leaders in an effort to contain escalation of the Israel-Hamas war. Blinken has been in the region since Friday, trying to find ways to ease the plight of the civilians caught in the fighting.
Blinken is scheduled to meet with Lebanese Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and members of the UN Relief and Works Agency on Saturday. Later in the afternoon, he will meet with Jordan's King Abdullah II, and regional partners, including Jordanian Foreign Minister Aymam Safadi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
Blinken started his trip on Friday with a stop in Israel. This is his third trip to Israel since the war broke out after Hamas' bloody terror attacks on Oct. 7 left hundreds dead. He reiterated the United States' support for Israel, saying that the country the right to defend itself. But he said a "humanitarian pause" was needed to boost aid deliveries to Palestinian civilians amid growing alarm over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
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