Visit The Middle East, U.S. Secretary Of State Antony Blinken Meets Israeli PM And Palestinian President

JAKARTA - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, began his visit to the Middle East, visiting Israel, Tuesday, May 25, local time.

Arriving at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, Israel, Blinken was greeted by Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi. Blinken said his arrival is expected to strengthen the ceasefire between Palestinian Hamas militants and Israel.

In addition, the visit is also to accelerate humanitarian aid to the devastated Palestinian enclave. Along with blinken's mission, Israeli authorities allowed fuel, medicine and food allocated to Gaza's private sector to enter the region for the first time since 11 days of armed clashes

"Antony Blinken will also visit Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, Cairo and Amman, with the United States holding out any hope the ceasefire will continue," a senior United States State Department official told Reuters on Tuesday.

"Our main focus is to maintain the ceasefire, get help to the people who need it," the official continued without being named.

However, the official said it was still too early for broader peace talks between Israel, in political change after four inconclusive elections in two years, and the Palestinians, divided by hostilities between Hamas and Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas.

President Joe Biden says a two-state solution is the only answer to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, promising a major package with other countries to help rebuild Gaza.

Blinken is also scheduled to meet with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. According to the plan, Blinken will be in the area until the day after Thursday.

In the aftermath of the 11-day armed conflict between the two sides, at least 253 people were killed in Gaza and more than 1,900 wounded, health authorities said, during Israel's toughest - Palestinian fighting in years.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said the death toll in Israel was 13, with hundreds of people being treated for injuries after rocket fire caused panic, leaving civilians displaced.

Commercial buildings, residential towers and private homes throughout the Gaza Strip, home to 2 million people, were damaged or destroyed by the time the ceasefire was announced.

Instead, Israel says airstrikes hit legitimate military targets and are doing its best to avoid civilian casualties, including giving advance warning when it comes to attacking residential buildings that it says are also used for the military.