Washington: Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, two US officials are set to visit Israel on Thursday to engage in talks on key issues, including the situations in Gaza and Lebanon, the status of hostages, and concerns surrounding Iran and regional borders, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday.
During a press briefing, Jean-Pierre confirmed that White House officials Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein, along with other top officials, would be traveling to the region in response to Israel’s recent military actions in self-defense against Iran. She added that CIA Director Bill Burns is also scheduled to arrive in Cairo on Thursday to hold discussions with Egyptian officials on bilateral relations and efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages from Hamas.
Jean-Pierre further stated that United States Central Command Commander General Erik Kurilla would also travel to the Middle East to discuss defense strategies and meet with Israeli military personnel. “Following Israel’s response in self-defense against Iran, senior US officials are following up on a range of matters in the region and with Israeli counterparts. Bill Burns (Director of the Central Intelligence Agency) will be in Cairo on Thursday to engage with Egyptian counterparts on bilateral matters as well as the process to secure the release of hostages. CENTCOM (United States Central Command) Commander General Erik Kurilla is travelling to the region to discuss regional defense and will visit Israel to engage with counterparts and US personnel,” she said.
“Two White House officials are going to visit Israel on Thursday to engage on a range of issues, including Gaza, Lebanon, hostages, Iran, and border regional matters as well,” Jean-Pierre added.
Reiterating the US government’s “ironclad commitment” to Israel’s security, Jean-Pierre warned against any further direct military attacks by Iran and stressed the need for de-escalation in the region while advocating for deterrence measures. “The US will reaffirm its ironclad commitment to Israel’s security, its warning against any further direct military attacks by Iran against Israel and its support for de-escalation backed by deterrence in the region more broadly,” she said.
In related developments, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi announced on Sunday that Egypt had proposed a two-day ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate the exchange of four Israeli hostages for some Palestinian prisoners, as reported by the Times of Israel. Around 97 of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 are still believed to be held in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 hostages who are confirmed dead. Hamas is also reportedly holding two Israeli civilians who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015, along with the bodies of two IDF soldiers killed in 2014.
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