Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for his fifth visit to the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war as the U.S. is in the thick of trying to shore up another deal that would facilitate the release of hostages.
It comes amid heightened tensions as the region braces for more airstrikes by the U.S. on Iranian-backed militias in retaliation for a drone attack that killed three American troops.
Blinken kicked off the trip by meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Monday.
In a statement, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said they discussed humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza, the future of the region post-war and the attacks by Iranian-backed Houthis on shipping in the Red Sea.
“The Secretary underscored the importance of addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza and preventing further spread of the conflict,” Miller wrote in the statement.
Ahead of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, the U.S. was helping to forge a normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. On multiple occasions, President Joe Biden has cited such a potential agreement as a possible factor in the motivation for Hamas to attack its neighbor.
Following his stop in the Saudi capital, Blinken will also travel to Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the West Bank this week.
Qatar and Egypt are key players in efforts to lock down a new cease-fire deal in exchange for the release of hostages. The two countries, along with the U.S., have put fourth a new proposal for a pause in fighting for several weeks to facilitate the release of hostages in phases, The Associated Press reported.
But the proposed agreement faces major headwinds as Hamas has yet to respond publicly and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has shot down the idea of releasing thousands of Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal.
“We believe that now, at this point, it's up to Hamas to come forward and respond to what is a serious proposal,” White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “And we will continue to press the Qataris and the Egyptians to try to generate a positive response”
Sullivan noted the U.S. does not have a clear picture of how many hostages are still being held by Hamas alive, adding the caveat that he knows “there are many.” He also pushed back on the idea that the by strikes by the U.S. in the region on Friday could impact the hostage negotiations.
Last week, the U.S. launched strikes on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, hitting more than 85 targets at seven facilities.
The attacks marked the Biden administration’s opening salvo of retaliation for the drone strike in Jordan – which the U.S. government said was the work of an umbrella group, backed by Iran, called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq – that left three American service members dead.
The Biden administration, and the president himself, pledged more was to come.
Over the weekend, the U.S. along with the United Kingdom carried out additional strikes on dozens of sites in Yemen used by the Houthis. The Iranian-backed rebels have been attacking ships in the Red Sea, causing continued threats and disruption in the route critical for global trade.
Neither the maritime force the U.S. set up in the region with allies to protect shipping nor the attacks on Houthi targets has appeared to deter the group from continuing attacks thus far. The situation is expected to be a significant topic during Blinken’s fifth trip.
But the secretary will also seek to make progress on charting a future for the area after the war. The U.S. continues to push for an independent Palestinian state post-war but Netanyahu has shown no signs of backing down from his opposition to the idea.
Officials in Saudi Arabia have said a plan for the creation of a Palestinian state would not to be in motion to revisit normalizing relations with Israel, according to the AP.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.