250 Gazans killed ahead of Blinken’s visit to Israel

Gaza, January 8

Gaza health officials reported 250 deaths, the highest daily toll so far this year on Monday as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken toured Arab states before heading for Israel to try to prevent the conflict growing into a wider conflagration. Blinken, who has backed Israel while expressing growing concern over civilian casualties, was holding talks on Gaza in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Monday to try to chart a way forward.

He began a five-day West Asia diplomatic effort in Jordan and Qatar on Sunday, his fourth visit to the region since deadly Oct. 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas militants in Gaza sparked a massive Israeli assault that shows no signs of ending.

Other Iranian-backed militant groups have weighed in, attacking Israeli forces on the border with Lebanon and US troops in Iraq and Syria as well as ships in the Red Sea, which Blinken said would push up prices of food and fuel.In a sign of international concern, European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell joined Blinken in Arabia. — Reuters