Blinken leaves US for Mideast tour to secure Gaza truce

US Secretary of State Antony Blinkendeparted for his fifth trip to Middle East on Monday in a bid to secure a new truce as the Israel-Hamas war approaches its fifth month. On his fifth trip to the region since Hamas's October 7 attack that set off the crisis, Blinken is expected to begin his trip on Monday in Saudi Arabia before visits to Israel, Egypt and Qatar.

Ahead of the trip he stressed the need for "urgently addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza", after aid groups have repeatedly sounded the alarm over the devastating impact on the besieged territory of nearly four months of war.