Arrival of the U.S. Secretary of State in Riyadh

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, the first stop of a tour in the Middle East. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller previously stated that Blinken's efforts will focus on reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, noting that "Hamas is the obstacle between the Palestinian people and a ceasefire." The U.S. Secretary of State plans to visit Israel and Jordan during this tour, which will last until Wednesday, as announced by the U.S. State Department following a call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which they discussed negotiations for the release of prisoners held by Hamas. A State Department official confirmed Blinken's tour, noting that his plane had made a refueling stop in Ireland on the way to Saudi Arabia for the scheduled visit. The tour was announced after a phone conversation between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu, which addressed ongoing negotiations for stopping the Israeli attack on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza in exchange for the release of prisoners.