Blinken will return to Israel and the West Bank to discuss further extensions of the Gaza cease-fire

By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return this week to the Middle East for the third time since Israel’s war with Hamas began last month to explore further extensions of the cease-fire agreement in Gaza. That’s according to a senior State Department official who spoke to reporters traveling with Blinken. The official spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of a formal State Department announcement. Blinken will travel to Israel and the West Bank after attending Ukraine-focused meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday in Brussels and Skopje. In Israel, Blinken will see Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his war Cabinet to discuss the current situation in Gaza and the potential for further extending the cease-fire.