The U.S. State Department announced on Tuesday that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will leave on Wednesday for Jerusalem and Jordan. The trip comes amid war between Israel and Hamas, after members of the terror group invaded the Israeli southern border on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,000 Israelis, wounding thousands and taking as many as 150 men, women and children hostage.
“The secretary will reiterate his condolences for the victims of the terrorist attacks against Israel and condemn those attacks in the strongest terms,” per Matthew Miller, U.S. State Department spokesman.
Blinken will “also reaffirm the United States’ solidarity with the government and people of Israel. He will also discuss measures to bolster Israel’s security and underscore the United States’ unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend itself,” Miller stated.
“Our support for Israel is unwavering,” Miller said at a Tuesday press briefing after confirming Blinken’s visit. “The secretary looks forward to meeting with senior members of the Israeli government to continue discussions the president and him have been having since Saturday.”
Miller also confirmed that the whereabouts of 20 Americans remain unknown. “That’s a number that has been moving around over the past few days,” he said. “Some of the people who are unaccounted for, unfortunately, you discover are actually deceased, or then some may turn up.”
