Today, Monday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia, the first leg of his tour in the Middle East aimed at enhancing the chances of reaching a truce between Israel and Hamas and the entry of more humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

Blinken will meet in Riyadh with several counterparts from the Gulf countries and Europe to discuss plans for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip after the war, according to a US State Department official. He then moves to Jordan and Israel.

Blinken will meet with the Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and a number of regional leaders.

He is expected to hold new talks with the Saudi leadership regarding the possible normalization of relations with Israel, according to a US State Department official.

The war on Gaza and the high level of tension in the Middle East are at the forefront of attention and discussion at a special meeting of the World Economic Forum, which began in Saudi Arabia on Sunday and will last for two days.

The US Secretary of State, Palestinian leaders, and high-level officials from other countries will try to mediate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas during the scheduled summit in Riyadh.

It is noteworthy that Blinken's visit will be the seventh to the Middle East since October 7 and comes at a time when the United States hopes that raising the possibility of normalization will be a factor that stimulates moderation among the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state.

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that Blinken would discuss the possibility of "the corridor to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel."