27 April 2024,   20:34
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U.S. secretary of state arrives in Israel on Mideast tour to shore up Gaza ceasefire

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Israel at the start of a Middle East tour aimed at shoring up the Gaza ceasefire, writes CBC.

He will face the same obstacles that have stifled a wider peace process for more than a decade, including a hawkish Israeli leadership, Palestinian divisions and deeply rooted tensions surrounding Jerusalem and its holy sites.

The 11-day Gaza war killed more than 250 people, mostly Palestinians, and caused widespread destruction in the impoverished coastal territory. Blinken is expected to focus on co-ordinating reconstruction without engaging with Hamas, which controls Gaza and is considered a terrorist organization by Israel and Western countries.

The truce that came into effect Friday has so far held, but it did not address any of the underlying issues.

Blinken, who arrived in Israel early Tuesday, is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the region since President Joe Biden assumed office.

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