Blinken meets with Qatari officials in push to resolve conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Thursday with Qatar’s ruling emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani arsenic portion of a circuit of the portion successful which Blinken has focused discussions connected ending the conflicts successful the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

Blinken is besides gathering Thursday with Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Al Thani up of talks with Arab officials Friday successful London.

While 1 of Blinken’s docket items has been to question an summation successful humanitarian assistance for Palestinians successful Gaza, France hosted an planetary league Thursday successful Paris to rise funds to assistance those affected by the warfare betwixt Israel and Hamas successful Lebanon.

Israel’s subject said Thursday it conducted a caller circular of airstrikes against Hezbollah weapons accumulation sites successful Beirut’s confederate suburbs.

Lebanon’s subject said 3 of its soldiers were killed successful an Israeli onslaught portion they were conducting a rescue cognition adjacent the colony of Yater successful confederate Lebanon.

Israel has said its combat is with Iran-backed Hezbollah, not Lebanon, successful a struggle that has raised fears of wider determination hostilities.

On different beforehand Thursday, Syria’s defence ministry said Israeli airstrikes deed Damascus, sidesplitting astatine slightest 1 worker and injuring 7 different people.

Israel seldom comments connected strikes against targets successful Syria, but it has deed Iran-linked targets determination for years arsenic portion of a run to halt weapons transfers to Hezbollah and disrupt Iranian proxies.

Blinken’s circuit has included stops successful Israel and Saudi Arabia wherever helium discussed the value of halting the warring successful Gaza and securing the merchandise of hostages inactive being held determination by Iran-backed Hamas.

The apical U.S. diplomat has besides looked to the eventual extremity of the conflict, focusing portion of his talks with officials connected security, governance and reconstruction successful Gaza.

The warfare successful Gaza began with the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught connected confederate Israel, during which the militants killed astir 1,200 radical and took 250 radical arsenic hostages. Hamas is inactive holding astir 100 hostages, with a 3rd of them believed to beryllium dead.

Israel’s counteroffensive successful the Gaza Strip has killed much than 42,700 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, with Israel saying that the decease toll includes respective 1000 Hamas militants.

The United States, United Kingdom, European Union and others person designated Hezbollah and Hamas arsenic violent organizations.

Some accusation for this communicative was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.