SHANNON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will begin his visit to Jordan and Israel on Wednesday, the State Department said.
The development comes after the US and Israeli leaders reviewed hostage-release talks.
Blinken will travel to both nations, a State Department official confirmed as the US top diplomat arrived in Ireland on Sunday.
The tour was announced after President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone about ongoing negotiations to halt Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip in return for the release of hostages.
Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been trying to broker a new truce between Hamas and Israel for months, as public pressure increases for a deal.
Biden also voiced concerns about Israel launching a military operation in Rafah, the southern Gaza city where more than one million Palestinians have taken refuge.
The State Department did not announce details of the two visits.
