US Secretary of State Antony Blinken flew from Israel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) minutes after the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip broke down and fighting resumed, Israel’s Kan radio reported Friday morning.
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“Within minutes of the resumption of hostilities, Blinken ended his visit to Israel and flew to the United Arab Emirates,” the radio station reported.
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On Thursday, the US Secretary of State visited Israel for the fourth time since the escalation of the conflict in the Gaza Strip. At meetings with the Israeli leadership, issues of delivering humanitarian aid to the enclave, efforts to free the remaining hostages and prospects for de-escalating the conflict in general were discussed.
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Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces said that Hamas violated the pause in hostilities and opened fire on Israeli territory; the Israeli military resumed hostilities against the Palestinian movement in the Gaza Strip.
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The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired on Friday at 7:00 am. The Wall Street Journal reported that the truce had been extended by one day. This information has not been officially confirmed.
