The U.S. State Department announced that Secretary Anthony Blinken will travel to the Middle East on Monday, as Washington seeks to resume ceasefire negotiations to end the war on Gaza, following the assassination of Yahya Sinwar, the head of the political bureau of the Palestinian "Hamas" movement.

This latest round of the U.S. Secretary of State in the region comes as Israel intensifies its military campaign in Gaza and in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed "Hezbollah" group.

This is Blinken's eleventh trip to the region since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the Gaza war.

The State Department stated in a statement that Blinken will discuss with regional leaders the importance of ending the Gaza war and ways to outline a post-war plan for the Palestinian sector, as well as how to reach a diplomatic solution to the conflict between Israel and "Hezbollah", noting that Blinken's tour will begin in Israel, but did not specify other countries.

The statement issued by the department said: "During his (tour) in the region, Secretary Blinken will discuss the importance of ending the war in Gaza, securing the release of all hostages, and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people."

The statement added: "He (Blinken) will continue discussions about preparations for the post-conflict period and will emphasize the need to chart a new course that enables Palestinians to rebuild their lives."

Ending the Gaza War

U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party's nominee in the upcoming presidential election on November 5, along with many other Western leaders, expressed their desire for an end to the Gaza war, which has been ongoing for more than a year, after Israel assassinated Sinwar last week, who is described as the "mastermind" of the October 7 attack.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war will continue, and analysts suggest he may prefer to wait until the end of Biden's term in January to try his luck with the next president, whether Harris or her Republican rival Donald Trump, who has close ties to Netanyahu.

Israel has intensified its military campaign in Gaza over the past few days. As fighting continues, Palestinian health officials have reported shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies to treat patients in the three remaining hospitals that are still partially operational in the northern sector.

According to Israeli statistics, the October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people and the abduction of 253 others in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health states that the subsequent Israeli military campaign has devastated the Palestinian sector, claiming the lives of more than 42,500 Palestinians, with an additional 10,000 unaccounted for, believed to be buried under the rubble.